Halfway To Anywhere
by SwanMills815
Summary: AU: What would you do if you had to choose between your job and a woman you just met? From the moment they meet Emma believes that she has known Regina in lifetimes before. But Emma's recent past has not been an easy path. Will she be able to let her guard down enough to let the other woman in? And will Regina forgive her when she finds out exactly who Emma Swan really is?
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

CHAPTER 1

The sun was setting as Emma Swan drove her motorcycle out of the city, headed down a long stretch of highway she knew well. Travelers were few and far between and the ride always gave her time to think. Time to clear her mind after a stressful day on the job. Some days were worse than others. Some days were just long. Tonight she was taking off just in time to watch the sun disappear on the horizon. The last hours of light were closing in fast, but she didn't mind. It's what she looked forward to. There was something about the sunset that soothed her soul. Even on days when she didn't think that was possible.

Though she sometimes found herself driving aimlessly until the sun was coming up once again, the rides were never long enough. It was easy to lose track of time when she never slept and all she had was herself, her iPod and the open road. When Emma first decided to purchase her motorcycle, her girlfriend Amanda had not been happy. Always the reasonable one, she was. And she always pitched a good argument that made it tough for Emma to resist. But the motorcycle was the one thing she wouldn't compromise on. While Amanda hadn't liked it, she could deny Emma nothing.

Emma accelerated well past the speed limit attempting to wash the thoughts of Amanda away. She was gone now and it didn't do Emma any good to think about her. She wouldn't be getting her back.

Right after high school Emma had attended the University of Maryland with her best friend who she'd known since junior high. Both graduated with a BS in Criminal Justice. After working for the Baltimore Police Department for two years she made the decision to apply for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Ever so faithful, Emma's best friend Neal Cassidy decided that he wouldn't be outdone and couldn't let her apply to the FBI alone. After spending 20 weeks at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia they were officially Special Agents for the FBI. Jobs they'd held since they were 25. Starting on the low end of the totem pole they eventually worked their way into the Organized Crime Unit. They'd been partners for five years now, having done everything together since the day they met.

The last light of the day was slowly fading from orange to pink with a hint of purple. Emma took a deep breath and wondered to herself how far she would drive before giving in and heading home. The late July air was warm, but Emma knew that it didn't matter whether or not it was summer time, when the sun went down it would take the warmth with it and she would be left with the cool summer wind. She mumbled to herself about nothing in particular even though there was no one to hear it. Emma did that a lot while she was driving. When thinking wasn't getting the job done, she found it best to just say it out loud. And sometimes when she couldn't find the words…she would sing along with the music, for only herself to hear. And though Emma's voice wasn't all that bad, she didn't sing much. Rarely when she was alone and never in front of anyone. Not even for Amanda.

It was a little after ten when she decided to turn around and head back to civilization. She didn't ride as far as she had anticipated. Her heart just wasn't in it and for a moment Emma considered stopping off at a little bar she had come to know well. She hadn't always been a loner but lately Emma found that keeping her own company was best. Best for her. Best for everyone. Her intentions were usually just to have a beer or two and- Who was she kidding? Those were never her intentions and going home with a different girl every time was nothing new to her.

Emma wanted to pretend she didn't know when she'd started acting the way she did, but knew she'd only be lying to herself. It had started the day Amanda left. Emma fell apart and shut out the rest of the world. Except her best friend; the only person she still kept close. After all, Neal had been there a lot longer than Amanda had and he still hadn't left her. He would never leave her. Would he?

Emma hadn't consciously decided to move on. But move on she did. Or so it seemed to everyone around her. She was searching for something now and though she didn't know what it was, she continued to look for it in the arms of willing women. And there were more than plenty of them. But Emma had yet to find that thing. That thing that was going to fill the void left in the wake of Amanda's absence.

But she wouldn't go to the bar tonight. No. Emma had work to do. Case files to look over. Plans to make. If she went to the bar Emma knew that she'd sit in the corner, have a few drinks and go home with someone she didn't know despite her better judgment. That wasn't such a good idea tonight. She just wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone else. At least once she made it home her files would keep her busy for a while.

**. . .**

When she finally arrived home some time later, Emma stopped off in her kitchen for a bottle of water and headed back to the living room. Having changed and gotten comfortable, she pulled her legs up and under her as she sat on the couch. Several files and manila envelopes were spread out next to her. Emma didn't feel like dealing with this case right now either. But it was going to be a toss-up between work and staring blankly at the ceiling in attempt to sleep. Sleep wasn't going to happen any time soon. It wasn't even one in the morning.

Finally she put forth the effort to pick up and open one of the envelopes that contained several photos that would eventually help build a strong case against Luis Mills. A man who supposedly had his hands in a lot of bad business around the city. Currently it was too hard to tell exactly who the man had in his pocket. Low-life thugs? Supposed upstanding citizens and government officials? The possibilities were endless.

At this point it was nearly impossible to know who could and could not be trusted. Emma flipped through the photos of men who appeared to be making deals. Handing off envelopes. Envelopes that presumably contained cash, in exchange for packages that contained drugs or who knew what else. There were too many different possibilities to choose from. Flipping to the next photograph, she paused in her effort, taking in the image in front of her. Emma had seen this photo a million times just as she had the others. But there was always something about this one that drew her in and there were so many more like it. The same people in all of the photos, doing various business transactions in broad daylight. But this photo…this one held something more.

Emma stared at the brunette woman in the picture accepting an envelope and handing off a large cylinder. The slight smile on her face always kept Emma's focus. It was the same smile that had caught her attention one night several weeks ago when she'd been sitting in the dark corner of the bar that she'd been frequenting lately. Emma had been surprised at the sheer coincidence of seeing the other woman there that night and many nights since.

All the times Emma had looked at the photos of her, she'd never actually approached her. Emma let the photo rest on her leg and reached for her bottle of water. Her mouth suddenly felt dry as she couldn't help but reflect on the times that followed after the first night she'd spotted Regina Mills across the room of that dark hole-in-the-wall the owners referred to as a bar.

Too many nights after, Emma had spotted the brunette across the room and she would watch as she talked to one person or another. Occasionally some of which seemed to be friends she had shown up with. Others not so much. But Emma never made any attempt to approach the other woman, content to just blend in and watch. Though, sometimes her vigil would be interrupted by another female openly wanting something from her. And Emma was always hard-pressed to refuse them as they served a perfect distraction. The petite brunette was not on the list of options

Maybe she would talk to Neal tomorrow and see if he felt like going out with her. If Neal was there, Emma knew she would be less likely to give in to any wanton female seeking out her attentions and after the long week they'd been having, she knew they could both use a drink. Or two. After all, tomorrow was Friday and they had the weekend off. And of course she wouldn't mind catching a glimpse of the Regina Mills, either. Option or not, what could it hurt?

**. . .**

The bar was located on Mt. Pleasant Avenue northwest, just twelve minutes from FBI headquarters. Emma and Neal liked to go there because it wasn't like most of the bars in DC which seemed to be marketed towards businessmen and the upper class society of DC. The bar remained the same though so many others seemed to change with the times and that's what many locals liked about it. The atmosphere was laid back, you could still get a beer for less than five dollars and there weren't any fancy fifteen dollar drinks to be found. And there weren't any fifty inch televisions showing sports. But there_ was_ still an old jukebox in one corner of the dance floor and a makeshift stage for local unknown bands and impromptu jam sessions. For some it was just a hangout. A place to kill time. For others, a place to go and not feel alone. For Emma Swan, it was a stepping stone. A means to an end. Tonight she was there for one reason and that reason was currently on the dance floor getting more attention than she probably realized. But that attention was well deserved and Emma found herself thinking things she knew should be far from her mind.

"Hey." A pair of snapping fingers appeared in front of her face, bringing Emma back to the present. "Have you heard anything I've said?"

"Yeah. Sure." She mumbled, nursing her beer. Tearing her eyes away from the dance floor, Emma turned to look at the person sitting across the table from her.

"Whatever, Swan. You haven't heard a word I've said in the past ten minutes." The guy said, shaking his head. "I could've left and you wouldn't have even realized it."

"I'm sorry, Neal. What were you saying?"

Neal, Emma's best friend and partner stared at her in disbelief. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

"Yeah." She said absently, not even realizing her response was completely irrelevant, her eyes drifting back to the dance floor. Back to her. "I'll be back."

"What are you doin', Swan?" Neal yelled after her, but Emma ignored him.

She was on a mission. Neal hated when she got like this. When she did, there was no stopping her until she got what she wanted. He watched as she walked away, beer in hand, towards the dance floor. Towards the woman with the dark hair that fell just around her shoulders and looks that definitely drew attention. Emma wasn't too bad herself, but Neal never looked at her that way. To him she was just his best friend. One of the guys. To anyone else who saw her, she was tall and gorgeous, with a very well maintained physique.

Neal often joked that she must have been a street fighter in a past life. She had brilliant green eyes and a full head of wavy blonde hair that fell to the middle of her back. When they were younger, her hair had been much darker. But as they'd gotten older, her hair had lightened and her facial features had become much more chiseled and defined.

Emma could have been a Goddess and Neal would have never noticed. He hadn't thought about her that way since their senior year in High School when she'd confessed to him one day that she was pretty sure she liked girls, effectively crushing any schoolboy fantasies he might have had about her, despite their being best friends. When he had questioned the validity of her statement, she'd promptly shut him up with more details than he expected to hear of an encounter between herself and a girl she had messed around with the summer before.

_"__What are you saying, Em?" Neal just didn't get it. His best friend had to be joking. They'd known each other since grade school and never once had the thought occurred to him that his best friend might be gay. Emma stared at Neal blankly, waiting for him to catch up and for everything to sink in. The reality of the situation had left his teenage brows furrowed and a questioning look in his eyes. Finally he turned to her, prepared to speak again. "What do you mean when you say 'gay'?" _

_"__You really are thick, aren't you!?" Emma said with a laugh. She'd given more thought than she cared to admit about this moment and the confession she had just made. But Neal was her best friend and she knew that he would never reject her. For any reason. And this reason would be no different. It was only the matter of actually saying it out loud and admitting it to herself. "Gay, Neal. Gay. I think- no, I know I like girls."_

_"__Em, you're only seventeen. How could you know something like that? Are you sure?" _

_He turned to face the brick of the gymnasium wall, where they were standing behind the building. More times than either could remember, they had skipped gym to sit behind the building and kill time before they knew they would eventually have to get back to their day. Both of them were athletic enough and enjoyed sports and the other usual extra-curricular activities, but there was something about the idea of forced physical education that neither of them particularly enjoyed. Neal propped against the wall with one hand, the other in his front pocket. He watched as Emma shook her head and proceeded to sit down and lean back against the building. Neal followed suit and both of them remained silent for some time._

_"__I don't know how else to explain it." Emma finally broke the silence._

_"__Well I mean, I know you've never dated anyone. But I just figured it was because you weren't interested yet." Neal found himself digging for excuses. "Or maybe even because we've always hung out together and you just never made time for it."_

_"__Neal, you've had plenty of girlfriends." Emma laughed softly and gave his leg a friendly punch. "I've just never been interested in guys and now I know why."_

_"__How can you be sure if you've never went out with anyone?" Neal said, exasperated. He wasn't uncomfortable with the idea. He was just confused. How could Emma be his best friend for so long, without him noticing __**something**__? His hesitation to really grasp the idea of his best friend being gay, he realized, had more to do with how blind he'd been than whether or not it was true. "Pick someone… Anyone. And I'll get you a date. That way you'll know for sure."_

_Emma laughed again. But this time it was much heartier than the moment before._

_"__Why are you laughin' at me?" Neal asked, even though he knew that he was about to start laughing right along with her. The entire situation being so surreal to him that he figured laughing was the best way to get past it._

_"__Look, we're best friends Neal." Emma paused as she caught her breath and turned to him with a serious look. "And I know we tell each other a lot of things. And sometimes you give me more details than I need. But I really didn't want to have to tell you-"_

_"__You didn't want to tell me? Why?" Suddenly Neal's voice took on a hurt tone as he interrupted._

_"__Shut up and let me finish!" Emma bumped his shoulder with hers. "I was just hoping I wouldn't have to draw you a crayon portrait of what happened last year."_

_"__Last year!?"_

_"__The end of the last school year. At the beginning of summer break." Emma clarified. "Do you remember that first day we went to that pool party and there was a girl there from that other school? Kate."_

_"__There were a lot of girls there that day, Em. I'm a seventeen year old guy. How do you expect me to remember one girl?"_

_"__She was the one with the long blonde hair, wearing the neon yellow bikini." Emma supplied and the look on her best friends face told her that it was coming back to him. "Remember? She was the one that kept sitting at the edge of the pool and refused to get in because she didn't want to mess up her hair!"_

_"__Ohhh yeah! That girl!" Neal laughed. "Yeah, she was hot." He paused, the smile leaving his face. "Wait… What about her?"_

_Emma smiled to herself, remembering._

_"__I saw you talking to her. But I figured you were exchanging make-up tips or something equally girly." Neal was still confused. His best friend had never been girly and he knew it. _

_"__What have you done with my best friend?" Emma waved her hand in front of his face. "I have never been girly and I've never worn make up. I was flirting with her."_

_"__What do you mean 'flirting' with her? How do you 'flirt' with another girl?"_

_"__Well I didn't use one of your cheesy-ass pick-up lines, that's for damn sure!"_

_"__Hey, I don't have any cheesy pick-up lines." Neal huffed, acting offended. "My pick-up lines are great."_

_"__Yeah. Anyway." Emma continued. "I mean, I didn't realize that I was doing it then. I was just making conversation with her. But apparently I was laying it on thick and one thing led to another and we ended up making plans to go see a movie."_

_"__Oh, I remember. It was like the first time you went to the movies without me!" Neal said in a pointed tone. "So you went to the movies. It's not like hanging out constitutes as a date, Em. People go to the movies together all the time and it's definitely not a date unless the guy pays for all-"_

_"__We fooled around Neal!" Emma blurted out, tired of skirting around the issue. Her confession shut him up, though his mouth remained open. "And I don't mean at the movie theater, either! And I didn't realize it at the time, but I paid for everything. Our food before. Our tickets. Our drinks. I just thought I was being nice. I didn't realize what it was leading up to."_

_"__Oh."_

_"__We were really hitting it off so she asked if I wanted to come over to her house, because she lives just a couple blocks from the theater." Emma continued. "And there we were, hanging out in her room and one thing led to another."_

_"__How does this 'one thing leads to another' thing work, exactly?" Neal asked. "For two girls, I mean."_

_Emma sighed loudly and threw her head back. She knew Neal wasn't being a typical guy and fishing for details. But he was genuinely interested in what Emma was going through, so she answered. "Neal. It's the same as when it's a guy and a girl. Only, we were play-fighting. She hit me with a pillow for teasing her about something and when I went back at her, we fell off of her bed and I landed on top of her. There was like this weird moment between us and then we kissed. And some other stuff."_

_"__Well." Neal nodded. "Okay then." He paused. "So did you get in her pants?"_

_Emma's eyes grew round and when she turned to look at Neal in disbelief, the huge smile on his face and the laugh he was biting back made her slug him in the arm as hard as she could._

_"__Shit, Swan!" Neal laughed, grabbing his arm. "Why'd you do that!?"_


	2. Chapter 2

******DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

CHAPTER 2

On the dance floor Emma made her way to the woman she'd been watching all night. As she came up behind her another song began to play. The beat was low, heavy on the guitar and almost a little bit blues-y. Something about driving away. It went along perfectly with the thought Emma was having at the moment. Emma let the music flow through her body and fell into motion with the brunette who was dancing with some random guy who'd joined her just before. Emma wasn't a dancer. Usually content to just sit and watch. But something about this woman was drawing her in.

Casually Emma reached over the woman's shoulder, offering up what was left of her beer. Not missing a beat, she accepted the bottle and turned it up, finishing it off. Emma was impressed. She had always respected a woman who knew how to drink. The guy, pretending to dance, stood there eying them appreciatively as they danced provocatively together to the sound of the music. Guys, Emma had learned quickly, were always turned on by these sorts of things.

The woman continued to dance with her back to and occasionally against, Emma, all the while staring seductively at the guy in front of her. Just as he drew himself closer, feeling brave and thinking that he was about to get involved in something a large percentage of men dream of, the woman took the empty beer bottle and placed it in his hands.

The poor guy was clearly confused as she smiled and put her hands on his chest. With the slightest bit of pressure she pushed him away, dismissing him as she turned to face the woman behind her. They were close enough that their bodies remained in contact as the moved. And the two women moved together as if they'd danced a thousand times before. Their eyes met briefly with something of a spark, causing their gaze to linger just a little longer than either had intended. Emma was beginning to sober quickly, as she held her breath and the woman in her arms. The brunette turned her back to Emma once again, pushing their bodies closer together, grinding her backside into Emma's front and leaning back into her chest. After several moments, Regina reached back and took Emma's hands, pulling them around her waist as she let her head fall back into the slightly taller woman's shoulder.

The whole act had become very sexual, which was entirely not what Emma had intended. Or maybe she had. She wouldn't lie to herself. This woman was beautiful and this woman was touching her in a way that felt oddly familiar. Easy to say, considering all the touching that was going on, but it was different Emma knew.

Several moments passed as the dance continued, before she turned once again to look into Emma's eyes. She placed her hand on the back of Emma's neck, pulling her in, close enough to feel the other woman's breath against her cheek. Emma thought the woman was going to kiss her, but instead she leaned in a little further whispering something in her ear. Emma raised a slightly intrigued eyebrow and pulled back to make eye contact once again. She took that brief moment, silently giving her a chance to change her mind, but only received a suggestive smile as the song came to an end.

Taking a deep breath Emma took her hand and led her towards the table where she'd been sitting with her partner. Predictably, Neal was still there. Waiting. Emma grabbed her glasses and helmet from the table.

Leaning over she spoke to Neal with a smile and a wink. "See ya later."

Just as she stepped away, Neal jumped up from his seat and grabbed her by the wrist knowing he was the only person still alive that she allowed to get away with that. Emma nodded to the woman, suggesting she'd be right behind her.

"What are you doing, Swan?" He asked, stepping in so she could hear him over the music. Her only response was a simple shrug as he released her hand. "You can't just leave with her. You know who she is."

"I'm a big girl, Neal." Emma said lightly and gave him a pat on the arm.

"I hate it when she says that." He mumbled to himself as he watched her walk through the door.

Outside Emma handed her helmet over to the other woman as she slipped on her riding glasses and led her to a motorcycle. A blacked-out Kawasaki zx14 that she couldn't have been more proud of, with a little more power than was necessary for one person. Emma climbed on first, standing the bike up from its kick-stand. She braced it easily then turned to the woman who took the hand offered to her. Gracefully, she climbed on behind Emma and wrapped her arms comfortably around Emma's waist. Neal stepped outside in time to see the two women speeding away.

Something about the slender, yet strong, arms around her waist was encouraging Emma to drive a little slower and more carefully than she normally would have. Any other time, she drove fast and with purpose. Especially when she had a passenger of the female persuasion. Apparently there was something about the bike that drew women to her, so she would drive fast and almost a little carelessly just to give them a thrill and turn them on. But tonight Emma took her time navigating her way through the brightly lit city streets. Carefully, she made all the appropriate stops and followed the turns suggested by the woman holding onto her. All the while, a slight smirk gracing her lips. Something stirred inside as she pretended to ignore the fact that the other woman's hands had slowly migrated to the tops of her leather covered thighs where they remained, no longer wandering.

**. . .**

Emma sat with the other woman on the front steps of one of the many townhomes that lined the streets of DC. The streets surrounding DuPont Circle were well taken care of. The foliage was always freshly manicured and the buildings were all impressive. Emma knew the area well. She knew that some of them still remained homes whereas so many others had been turned into offices and such. A large percentage of those being embassy's for each and every country one could possibly name and some that the average person may have never even heard of.

If this is where the younger woman lived, she was either well taken care of, or made enough money to make someone wonder exactly what she did for a living. DuPont, she knew, was not an inexpensive place to reside. Watching her carefully, even in the dim light of the street lamp Emma could see the intense chocolate brown of the other woman's eyes. They were dancing around the empty street and sidewalks, seemingly avoiding the possibility of eye contact.

_Say something._ "I didn't get your name?" Emma asked casually. She managed to ignore the absurdity of asking the question now, instead of before she had left the bar with her.

"Regina." She responded with a soft smile, turning to face the woman next to her. Oddly, she didn't ask for Emma's name.

_Should I be concerned? _Emma wondered then immediately discarded the thought. After all, it was late and they had both been drinking. One would only have to look at the younger woman to tell. Her eyes, though brilliant even in the middle of the night, were slightly glassed over and her relaxed composure would surely give it away.

"So, Regina…" Emma paused. "Why did you, uh, leave with me back there?"

"You were watching me." She answered evenly, calling Emma out on her actions. She smiled to herself then, thinking that Emma wouldn't catch the smirk. "All night… So. Why don't you tell _me_?"

Emma had seen the other woman's slightly amused smile. So she was pleased with herself, knowing that Emma had been watching her? _Maybe I should file that away for later._

"But you don't know me."

"Well if you wanted to kill me, I'm certain it would happen whether I went willingly or not. But statistically it's very rare that women randomly kill, especially other women." She was rambling and laughed somewhat nervously. Emma was surprised by Regina's random tidbit of factual information. "I decided to risk it."

"Maybe it's all part of my _plan_." Emma said in a mysterious tone. It was a failed attempt at flirting and was coming off somewhat creepy and awkward. Emma wasn't used to flirting. She never had to. But something about this woman gave her the urge to be playful.

Regina decided to play along. In a more casual tone, "You could have done it weeks ago, if that was the case." She paused. Another smile. Still refusing to look Emma's way. "I've seen you there before. Alone in that corner most of the time. Watching me sometimes. Or…all the time?"

Emma nodded thoughtfully. Busted. All those times she'd thought she was being careful. Unseen. This woman was too perceptive for her own good, she thought. Or maybe for Emma's own good, which could be bad for her case. Could be bad for both of them, really. She'd have to be more careful.

"You could have a plan." Regina acknowledged with a nod and continued in a sure tone. She called Emma out once again. "Mostly, I just think you like me."

That last comment caught Emma off guard and she fumbled for something to say.

"Point is you shouldn't leave swanky dives with people you don't know. You could get hurt."

"Are you a cop?" Regina quickly leaned back eyeing her curiously. Too fast. Reaching up she rubbed carefully at her eyes which seemed to keep slipping out of focus. She was starting to realize that just maybe she'd had a little too much to drink at the bar and it was beginning to take its toll.

"Not quite…" It was Emma's turn to laugh nervously. "I work for an agency." She added. "Investigation."

"That sounds…like a lot of paperwork."

"Not always."

"Then why'd you leave with me? You don't know me either!"

"I guess I decided to take a chance too." Emma smiled. "I've only ever seen you there with friends a couple of times. So what is someone like you, doing in a place like that alone? It's certainly not for the atmosphere."

"Sometimes I go with friends." She sighed heavily. "And sometimes being alone in a crowded room is much better than being alone in an empty house."

The honesty of Regina's statement saddened Emma. How many times had she felt that exact feeling? How many times had she taken off on her motorcycle and disappeared for hours on end, just to escape the silence of her empty house? Or sat in that bar, looking for someone to connect with for just a little while. Someone to satisfy her most primal need for human contact, however impersonal the interactions were. How could this gorgeous woman sitting next to her be so lonely? Where were her friends? _I want to know everything about you,_ Emma thought to herself. She had to break the silence before her thoughts threatened to run away with her.

"The name's Swan, by the way." Emma quickly changed the subject, running a hand through her wind-blown hair.

"Swan?" Regina repeated. Running the name over in her head again she decided it was an odd name before repeating the thought out loud. "Swan, That's…an odd name. Where are you _from_?"

Emma laughed softly. Reminding herself that the other woman was intoxicated, she went on to explain. "It's my last name. You have a lot of guy friends and that's what you get. I think maybe it makes me less of a threat, or- I dunno 'one of them', I suppose." She explained absently. Turning to face Regina she said, "You can call me Emma."

"Ohh, I like that one better." Her tone was flirtatious and Emma realized the poor woman probably didn't even notice. How could Regina make something so simple sound so sexy? She repeated her name. "Emma. Hmm."

"Well I'm glad it has your approval. I'll let my mother know!" Emma joked. Checking out her surroundings she raised a curious brow and spoke. "So, where are we, exactly?"

"Home." Regina answered, a slight sense of pride reaching her tone. Standing up she extended a hand but Emma didn't take it. "Did you bring me here to sit outside and talk? Or are you coming in?"

Standing, Emma dusted off her pants. Although she found herself slightly aroused at the suggestion in Regina's words, she glanced over her shoulder at the door behind her and said, "I really shouldn't…"

"I promise I don't bite," Regina smiled innocently. Holding out her hands, offering up her wrists she added, "And if I do…then I guess you'll just have to arrest me, Officer."

It tugged at Emma, the show Regina was putting on. Part of her was screaming inside, telling her to take this woman inside now and do what she so obviously wanted Emma to do. But the rational part of Emma's brain told her that she should back away slowly and run. Run as far away from this woman as she could. She scuffed her booted foot across the ground, giving the whole scenario some quiet consideration.

"You're awfully forward about what you want." Looking into Regina's eyes, it came out of her mouth before she even realized she'd been thinking it. Here she was, telling herself to leave and her mouth betrays her.

"I think a woman should know what she wants." Regina responded, locking eyes with the other woman. They remained that way, both of them seemingly unable to look away. Or maybe unwilling was the word. There was a sense of honesty in this woman that Emma was already beginning to appreciate and the hint of innocence that lingered in her eyes wasn't helping Emma to walk away. Something was calling to her. She wanted to know this woman.

Regina closed the distance between them and Emma could feel the blood rushing to her face. Every inch of her body was heating up and all she wanted to do was jump on her bike and take off. Where had all her self-confidence gone? What was stopping her? Emma didn't know but she had enough sense to realize that whatever was holding her back should be reason enough. This wasn't like her at all. If Regina were any other woman she would have already taken her inside and had her halfway to the land of complete ecstasy.

_What's happening? _"Maybe just for a minute." Emma told herself that she was only agreeing so she could make sure the younger woman got settled in safely.

**. . .**

Once inside, Regina stripped off her jacket and tossed it, along with her keys, on a chair at the end of the hall. The front door opened up to a long entrance hall that ended with a kitchen and connected living space.

"Nice place." Emma complimented, taking in the galley style kitchen with an open bar that looked out into the living room. The living room boasted a solid brick wall on the right hand side of the room and a stark white wall on the other with a staircase that led to the second floor. Both of which were brought together with a floor to ceiling bay window with a low seating area surrounded with pillows, that looked as if it might currently be used for curling up with a good book. The floor appeared to be refinished original wood flooring, probably from whenever the home was first constructed. Needless to say, it was a beautiful space. Inspiring, though the furniture in the room was sparse. As was the decoration. Emma wondered what the bedrooms must look like.

"It's home. For now, anyway." Regina responded with a gentle sigh. A look flashed across her eyes making Emma wonder if the woman was waiting for something better to come along.

Regina gestured to the couch and Emma sat.

"Would you like something to drink?" Regina asked from the kitchen, pouring herself a small glass of wine.

Politely, Emma declined. After all, she still had to drive home. That thought alone made Emma realize that she had no intentions of staying very long which was very unlike her at this point. Regina shrugged her shoulders and popped the cap off of the bottle in hand. As if she needed more. But it wasn't Emma's place to comment and so she didn't. Several minutes passed and Regina returned from the kitchen joining Emma on the couch. She sat closer than necessary. Emma watched her carefully, wondering where the situation was headed. After a moment of awkward silence Regina leaned over and though her movements were somewhat exaggerated, she gently sat her glass on the floor and turned to face Emma, who was watching her carefully. There was definitely a connection. A moment of both women taking each other in. Emma sat stiffly, allowing Regina an opportunity to make a move and in her intoxicated state, she did not disappoint. Regina leaned in then pressing her lips to Emma's.

_Oh Gods, what am I thinking?_ Emma wondered as she found herself slowly responding. Kissing Regina softly, she felt something stir deep inside of her. Something she couldn't remember ever feeling before. Something strong. It had never felt this way with the others. She could taste the remnants of alcohol on Regina's breath. A detail that Emma had never paid attention to with the women before. But a pleasant detail she decided as she felt the silky surface of Regina's tongue brushing against her own.

Against her better judgment, Emma allowed her hand to stroke the soft skin of Regina's neck before she gently pulled away. Her eyes meeting Regina's, Emma fought to control the rush of emotion that seemed to be sweeping over her and she stood quickly, backing away towards the door. Panic. Fear. Something about this woman scared her and the intensity was suddenly too much for Emma to handle. She couldn't breathe.

"Isn't this what you came here for?" Regina asked. She didn't sound upset, simply confused. She watched as Emma retreated towards the door, unsure of what had gone wrong.

Emma, on the other hand, was surprised. And shocked for more reasons than she could count. Normally, yes, it was exactly what she would have been there for. But not tonight. Tonight was different. This woman was different. So she quickly retrieved her red leather jacket from the arm of the sofa where she'd been sitting. She knew, in her right mind, exactly why they'd left the bar together. But somewhere between there and Regina's home, something had changed. Something had changed and Emma suddenly felt the need to be somewhere else. Something about this woman was sending up red flags, regardless of the opposite reaction her body seemed to be having. She deserved better than Emma's typical one night stand.

_I'm a really bad person, aren't I? _

"It's really not." She finally answered, looking down at Regina who was still sitting on the couch with a confused look on her face. "Maybe you're…used to people using you for- for I don't know, whatever. But that's not what I'm about."

_Lie._

_Huge lie. _

That was a big fat lie and Emma knew it before it ever escaped her lips. It had become her modus operandi. It's what she did. Find a female. Get what she needed. Move on. No sticking around. No sleeping over. Not anymore. It came with too much baggage. So why wasn't she going for it? This woman wanted her. Regina was speechless. Seeing this, Emma pulled out a pen from inside her jacket. Conveniently a small stack of post-its were sitting on the end table and she reached for them. Quickly, she jotted down a number and placed the stack back on the table. She stepped towards the door.

"I don't want to be that person. So I'm gonna go. And if you don't uh, you know, hate me tomorrow- give me a call. Anytime. I wrote down my cell." She gestured to the small stack of paper and allowed her eyes to connect with Regina's one last time before she turned to the door to leave.

Regina watched as the door closed quietly behind the woman who'd just walked out of her home. Emma Swan. Regina sat back and pulled her legs up and underneath her chin. Sighing to herself she surveyed the room, her eyes landing on the half empty glass of her forgotten wine.

"Well that didn't end like I thought it would…" she mumbled to herself.

Taking a deep breath, Regina forced herself to stand. Rubbing her eyes once more, she yawned and made her way to the sink, pouring out the remaining contents of her glass. She'd had too much to drink and only now that she was alone, was she beginning to realize just how much was too much. _What was I thinking?_ Regina thought to herself as she made her way upstairs to the bedroom. Not bothering to pull back the bedspread, she stretched out on her back and fumbled around for a pillow. When her hand finally landed on what she'd been looking for, she tucked it neatly under her head and closed her eyes.

Regina laid there for several minutes before she realized that as tired as she might be, she wasn't going to be falling asleep just yet. Every time she tried to close her eyes, images of Emma kept running through her mind. Regina was sure she'd been right. Why else would the other woman have been watching her so often, if she didn't want her? Instead, she'd brought Emma to her home and made a complete fool of herself. Rolling off of the bed, she slowly made her way back down the stairs and to the couch once again. She snagged the post-it pad that Emma had left on her table and studied the numbers in her hand.

_

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**CHAPTER 3**

Instead of going home Emma headed to her best friend's house in Capitol Heights. It was almost one in the morning and she knew that he was probably already in bed, long since asleep. Neal was like that. He wasn't one to stay out late and party. In bed by ten during the week and midnight on the weekends. When she reached his house, she pulled out the spare key he'd given her forever ago and used it to unlock the door. She was careful not to make much noise as she made her way through the dark to his room. Stopping in the doorway she took a moment to allow her eyes to adjust. A smiled crept up on her lips as she got an idea.

She moved to stand next to the bed and slowly, careful not to move him too much, crawled over and stretched out beside him. Leaning in, she whispered Neal's name into his ear making sure to breathe heavily. Unexpectedly, Neal rolled over and wrapped his arm around Emma's waist, pulling her close. Emma was pretty sure that Neal wasn't sleeping with his gun, so the hard object poking her leg, left her suddenly regretting her decision to give him a bad time. She became worried for a moment before he finally realized something wasn't right and lazily opened his eyes. They were face-to-face.

"Jesus Christ, Swan!" Neal grumbled, shoving away from her to roll out of his bed. Flipping on the light, he decided to gripe at her some more. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"What?" She smiled at him innocently as she watched him standing there in nothing more than his boxer briefs. He was covering the parts of himself that were testament to the dream he'd been having and fumbling around for something to put on. "You're disappointed waking up with a woman in your bed?"

He stopped what he was doing to look up at her. "I don't see a woman in my bed. Just you."

"Aw, Neal. That hurts." Emma said with a pout.

"What are you _doing_ here?" He demanded, seemingly irritated at being woken up so rudely. It was okay though. Emma knew that he could never be annoyed with her for long before coming back at her with something of his own. "And what if I hadn't had any clothes on?"

"Oh Gods," A disgusted yet bored look crossed her face and she rolled her eyes. "It's not like I haven't seen it before. And let me tell you, I wasn't impressed." She paused, a concerned look crossing her face. "Did it ever get any bigger?"

Neal rolled his eyes. "Did yours?"

"Of course!" She gave him a cocky grin.

"Nice. That's real nice, Emma." He mumbled, pulling on a pair of sweats that he dug out of the hamper. Neal sighed, knowing that Emma was just giving him a bad time. He was used to her antics and was mostly immune to them. But somehow, being woke up in the middle of the night still wasn't on his list of things to forgive so easily.

"Oh c'mon. I know you have a sense of humor!"

Ignoring her, "What's going on? I didn't think I'd hear from you until tomorrow." He said pointedly. "What's the matter? She turn you down? Must be losing your touch, Swan…"

"Funny. Nice to know what you really think of me." She wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Nothin' happened. I gave her a ride home. End of story."

"What'd she have to say?" Neal asked, walking down the hall. Emma climbed out of his bed and followed him to the kitchen. She hopped up on the counter. "Did you find out anything we don't already know?"

"Oh come on Neal, I was with her for an hour. Tops. She was more than a little intoxicated and I almost forgot to ask her _name_." Emma left out the part where she had allowed the other woman to kiss her and that she was a little unsure of why she'd pushed her away.

"Well that wouldn't be a first, now would it?" he smirked, amusing himself.

_Well I walked into that one, I suppose. _Emma smiled sweetly but Neal knew it was laced with sarcasm which was typical. Just as she was about to respond, her phone started going off. Emma looked at the buzzing object in her hand. Restricted. She hated when it said 'Restricted'. When her boss called, it said 'Restricted'. Emma looked up, a flash of irritation crossing her face.

"Why is he calling me?" Emma asked even though she knew Neal wouldn't have an answer. "Jesus."

Neal gave Emma a sympathetic look. If Regan was calling in the middle of the night, it was never good.

Emma slid her thumb across the screen to answer the call. "Yes sir? Is-" she paused when she didn't hear the automatic yelling that she usually heard when she answered his calls. Confused. "Hello?"

At Emma's look of surprise Neal began waving his hands at her, mouthing words at her, asking who was on the phone. He just assumed it was his business and she always seemed to grace him with an answer.

"Regina. Hi." She said, satisfying her partner's nosey curiosity. Sliding off of the counter she walked around the island and pulled a stool out from under the breakfast bar and took a seat. "What can I do for you?"

'What can I _do_ for you?' Neal mouthed at her, disbelief marring his features. He rolled his eyes. "Jesus…" he mumbled, turning to retrieve a bottle of water from the fridge.

"I was-" On the other end of the line Regina paused. "Well I was- Okay, so I'm pretty embarrassed right now and I wanted to apologize. You may not believe this now, but I swear to you I don't usually do things like- like what I did tonight." Another pause. _Change the subject._ "Are you doing anything Sunday?"

"Sunday? No. Why?"

Suddenly Regina found herself wondering why she had called. She didn't know this woman therefore she didn't owe her any explanations for her actions. So why did she care? Why did she feel the need to explain herself? It was either the alcohol or she was out of her mind and called without a real plan and no idea what they _could _do since Emma wasn't 'doing anything Sunday'. She'd been hoping Emma would have said more, but it was becoming clear that she wasn't much of a conversationalist. Regina couldn't decide if it was a bad thing, or something she actually liked about the other woman.

"So. Uh, I was…wondering-" She paused.

"You were wondering." Emma prompted gently. She held the phone to her ear with one hand and glanced at her nails on the other, smiling to herself. Waiting.

"If you might want t-to do something?"

"What do you have in mind?" Emma was pushing her now, wondering how long it would take the other woman to make her point. If they were going to do this, she wanted Regina to do all the work. To come to her and not the other way around, afraid that she might come across as overbearing and scare the other woman away. Emma had already pushed things too far by approaching Regina in the bar, a couple hours earlier. The last thing she needed was to blow their case. Her boss was always looking for a good reason to bitch at her and he usually did it with_out_ reason. Fuel to the fire. That's all this was going be.

"Well you could come over and uh- we'll go from there?"

Making a date without making actual plans was never a good idea. It left too much room for things to get way off track. And Emma wasn't exactly good at 'winging it', where women were concerned. She usually found herself giving in to whatever they suggested. Mostly, they were only ever after her for one thing and it usually led to them never leaving the house. Normally that worked out good for her because Emma wasn't exactly the 'dating' type, but mentally, she'd already established that things were different with this one.

Nonchalantly she responded, "Sounds good. What time?"

"Oh. Uh, whenever you want?" The indecision was mildly annoying to Emma, but she had to cut Regina some slack, given that it was rather late. And not to mention the fact that she'd had a little too much to drink and probably wasn't likely sober up any time soon. It also left Emma with the thought that maybe this woman had no idea what she wanted from her. "What's good for you?"

"How about I come by around noon?"

After wrapping up the conversation Emma sat her phone down. When she looked up, Neal was leaning on the counter, a grin plastered on his face.

**. . .**

Regina dropped her phone to the couch next to her leg. The phone call hadn't exactly gone the way she had planned either. But Regina reasoned that given the circumstances, it could have gone much worse. And now she had an entire day to wait for the next time she would see the other woman. Deciding against another trek back to her bed, Regina stretched out on the couch and laced her fingers together behind her head.

She lay there thinking about the woman she'd kissed tonight and closed her eyes. Emma's lips had been unexpectedly soft and inviting. And the memory of Emma's tongue sliding across her own was almost enough to drive her crazy. Regina knew she shouldn't have left the bar with the other woman. It wasn't something she had ever done before. But she'd found herself drawn to the blonde, knowing that Emma had been watching her for weeks. There was something about her that set Regina's blood on fire and sent it rushing through her veins. She wanted this woman like she'd never wanted anyone.

Pulling a blanket down from the back of the couch, Regina covered herself hoping that she'd be able to get warm and fall asleep. But after laying there for several minutes, listening to the silence, Regina was beginning to feel restless. She couldn't get Emma off of her mind and she found herself shifting positions on the couch again. She wasn't sure what it was, but she needed something and was beginning to feel mildly uncomfortable.

Regina tossed the cover to the floor, suddenly feeling hot. Annoyed, she pulled her shirt over her head and dropped it to the floor. As she reached for the button of her jeans, Regina realized exactly why she was feeling so edgy and blushed heavily. No one had ever turned her on this way and the amount of alcohol consumed wasn't helping matters at all.

Regina wasn't in the habit of drinking too much. But when Emma Swan had walked into the bar earlier in the evening, Regina had made up her mind that she was going to make some kind of move and needed all the courage she could get. Oddly enough, the other woman had approached her first. But now here she was, heavily intoxicated, extremely turned on and all alone. Reaching beside the couch, Regina turned the switch on the table lamp, engulfing the room in darkness.

With heavy arms, she unzipped her jeans and pushed them past her hips and kicked them off of her feet. Lying there in just her undergarments Regina knew exactly what she needed. Her skin was warm as she ran her hands across her chest, over her bra and down the taut muscles of her stomach, stopping at the edge of her lacey red panties.

Regina couldn't help but imagine that it was Emma's hands on her, touching her everywhere. Slipping her hand under the delicate material, she found a pool of moisture there that covered her fingers and allowed her to slide them effortlessly through the slick folds. Regina thought she would come instantly, she was so sensitive. Closing her eyes and arching her back, she teased herself gently, not wanting it to be over so soon.

**. . .**

"What are you smiling about?" Emma asked with a sigh. It was her turn to act disgusted.

"You're gonna be on the boss's shit list for sure, Swan." Neal shook his head and laughed.

"When am I not, Neal?" Emma rolled her eyes. "He's always pissed about something. Like I looked at him wrong or walk into the office with a smile on my face and he thinks I'm up to something."

"You're always up to something."

"You're a great friend." Emma responded sarcastically before pinning him with a serious look. "And he's _not _going to find out about this. I'm outta here. I'll let you go back to bed now. Sorry I woke you up." _Why __**did**__ I drive all the way over here and wake him up? Because you needed to cool off and you didn't want to be alone._

"Look, Em. Why don't you just crash here? You know the spare is always yours when you need it." Neal headed for the hallway that led to his room, but Emma didn't follow. She stood from the bar stool and walked towards the door. "It's two in the morning…"

"I'm not tired, Neal. Thanks though." She looked down and ran a hand through her tousled hair. "I think I'm gonna ride around some."

"Be careful Em. Please?"

"Yeah, yeah. I gotcha."

Emma walked out the door and closed it gently behind her. The night air had cooled off considerably since her ride from Regina's to Neal's house just outside the city. It was late July and Emma found herself wondering why it wasn't warmer. She pulled her worn red leather jacket tighter around her body and tugged the zipper until it was almost to her neck. If it was cool now, the ride was going to be even cooler.

Mounting her motorcycle she pulled her helmet down onto her head and tightened the strap below her chin. Turning the key just above the tank, she flipped a switch and the high pitched whine of the engine filled her ears.

_Maybe I'll ride around until the sun comes up, _Emma thought. There was no way she would be sleeping any time soon and the thought of going back to an empty house depressed her to no end. If she stayed out on the bike, at least she would be so worn out by the time she actually went home, that she could just crash on the couch and leave the rest of the world behind.

For a little while anyway.

But for now she was going to settle for the quiet time the bike permitted her and use it wisely. It always gave her time to clear her mind and think about things, which came in handy quite often considering the job she had. Tracking down bad guys wasn't all blazing guns and glory and fun times like they show on television. And it rarely ever happened as fast. Emma knocked the kickstand from the ground and took off.

Three and a half hours later Emma was parking her bike in the garage of her two-story home. She wasn't sure exactly where all she had been, but the time had flown by and all she found herself thinking about was the petite brunette she had run away from several hours ago. Regina's voice kept ringing in her ears and she hadn't been able to shake the memory of her gentle, yet persistent and familiar kisses.

There was something about her that Emma couldn't explain. She climbed the front steps after securing the garage and methodically unlocked the front door without too much effort. Once inside, she stopped at the bottom of the stairs that led to the second floor. She glanced up at the top step and the landing it led to. Sighing heavily, she slid her jacket from her broad shoulders and left it hanging on the banister as she turned to make her way to the living room.

The couch was calling to her and so she answered. Stretching out, she grabbed the pillow that was always there and pulled it close, wrapping herself around it. A moment passed and Emma's breathing fell into a steady rhythm as the sun slowly made its way onto the horizon.

_

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**CHAPTER 4**

Two days later. Emma stood on the landing in front of the door to Regina's home. She attempted to knock several times, but each time failed to have the courage to put her hand to the door. Taking a deep breath, she raised her hand for the fourth time. Just as she was about to bite the bullet the door opened to reveal Regina on the other side.

"Regina. Hi!" Emma blurted out in a brief moment of panic. Why was she panicking? _I am an FBI agent. I'm not supposed to panic_, she thought, bringing her hand quickly back down to her side.

"Hi!" Regina smiled brightly, stepping out the door. Emma backed up uncertainly, giving her space. "I was…just about to step down there to get my mail. Um, you can wait inside and I'll…be right back. Don't go anywhere." She smiled again.

_Oh, I'm not going anywhere. _Emma tentatively stepped over the threshold and walked into the house. The first time she was there, she hadn't gone any further than the couch. But this time she found herself looking around, homes in DuPont were open and spacious and usually very nice. Or so Emma had heard. Regina's was the first she'd been invited into. Just inside the front door, there was another door just before the kitchen that she had missed. A spare room maybe. The door was open and so she decided to look inside.

Normally, Emma realized, she might have been going through a person's belongings, given this much time alone. Instead she merely indulged herself in whatever was visible, silently perusing the room, hands clasped loosely behind her back while she waited for Regina to return. She didn't want to risk the chance that she could come back at any moment.

Still browsing, Emma saw that Regina had an easel in the middle of the room, a canvas propped on it with what appeared to be a work-in-progress. Aside from that, there were several other paintings of various sizes, shapes and colors positioned along the walls. She took a moment to admire the few of them that weren't turned with their backs to the room. It was as if each one of the paintings were calling out to her, attempting to draw Emma in. She found herself giving each one consideration, coming to the conclusion that not one of the works of art was similar in any way. There were portraits and landscapes and still life. Some appeared to be abstract and impressionist. But the ones that really blew her away...were the ones that appeared to be photorealistic.

Emma took what little knowledge she had of the art world and put it to use. An artist normally just had a style that was uniquely their own. You could choose one, compare each piece of their work and find some sort of technique that connected them all and linked that piece to its creator. But not this work. Each piece was definably different and left Emma wondering what this said about the woman who had painted them.

"Now that you know _my_ secret, care to share one of yours?" Emma jumped at the sound of Regina's voice. Why hadn't she heard her come back? Had she really been so immersed in the art that she hadn't heard the other woman approaching? She was slipping. This was bad. "So. What do you think?"

"These are beautiful." Emma answered, giving each piece one last look before turning her back to the art in favor of following Regina into her kitchen.

"Guilty pleasure." She shrugged. "Something you don't have to be good at, to actually be good at…you know?"

There was a moment of silence. Emma understood.

"So…" Emma started though she was not quite sure what to say. "What do you, uh…do? Work- I mean."

"Hmmm…." Regina vocalized the thought she was giving to her answer and lifted herself up to sit on the kitchen counter. She laughed nervously. "I always hate that question. When I answer, people assume that I must be spoiled and rich. I mean, I sell my paintings sometimes. But mostly to people who know my uncle. They always pay me _way_ more than they are really worth. I think they just do it as a favor to him. I've uh, never had a job."

"I thought it was just a guilty pleasure?" Emma commented, leaning back against the counter opposite Regina.

"A guilty pleasure that I get paid for on occasion?" She smiled innocently and shrugged her shoulders.

"Don't sell yourself short just because you're unsure of your talent. Whatever they pay you, I'm sure they are the ones benefitting."

"Not to sound spoiled, but my uncle insists on taking care of me. Plus I have the insurance money from- He uh, he raised me after my parents died."

"Oh," Emma flinched genuinely, even though she'd already known about Regina's family. She knew almost everything about this woman, but found herself wanting to know more. She wanted to know _every_thing. Not just what she'd read in some report. She wanted to know the more intimate side. The personal things. What makes this woman tick? What makes her smile? Laugh. Cry… "I'm really sorry to hear that…"

"It happened when I was thirteen. I didn't really get a chance to know them."

"Still. My relationship with my parents has never been outstanding, but I- I can't imagine not having them at all."

A few moments of silence passed, neither woman knowing what to say.

"What happened?" Emma asked cautiously. She already knew the official answer to her question, but she wanted to hear Regina's story. "If you don't mind my asking?"

"I don't mind at all." Regina smiled genuinely. "We were on our way home from a restaurant. I remember it was the middle of the week. A Wednesday night. Anyway, it was raining and we were going through a sharp curve and the next thing I remember is waking up in a hospital."

_I wonder what other lies they've told her? _Emma thought to herself and watched as Regina sat silently in reflection.

"I kept asking for my mom and the nurses just kept telling me that the doctors were taking care of them. And that everything would be okay." Another pause. "It wasn't until my dad's oldest brother showed up that I knew something was really wrong. He was the one who told me that there had been an accident and that mom and dad had been hurt badly. That they hadn't survived."

"I'm sorry…" Emma spoke softly, her voice laced with sympathy.

"He said the police on the scene told him that my father must have lost control going through the curve and because the road was wet, the car just flipped. I don't even remember crying. I was old enough to understand and I did understand. I just couldn't cry." Regina shrugged, running a hand through her hair. "Uncle Luis, he just sat there with me, looking at me like he was waiting for me to fall apart. Maybe it was shock, I don't know. I saw counselor after counselor. They put me on medication. But I was fine. When I was alone and I would think about my parents, I knew that they were okay. So I figured what was the point in being sad? They were cremated and I was given their ashes. So I felt like they were never gone. But everyone thought there was something wrong with me because I didn't react the way they thought I should."

"Everyone handles things differently." Emma reassured her.

"I guess as I got older, they just let it go. But Uncle Luis treats me like I'm still that little girl." Regina laughed to herself and shook her head. "So here I am, living my life and being happy."

"Do you have a big family?"

"Well, I was an only child." Regina started. "But my father was the youngest out of five brothers, so I have plenty of aunts and uncles and cousins. That side of my family is Spanish, in a ridiculous way. My father married my mother who was an only child herself and American, of course."

"I guess that's where you get your hair from?" Emma smiled.

"Oh yeah. Every picture I have of my parents, my mother's hair is a very light brown." A light was reaching Regina's eyes as she continued to talk about her mother. "She had great hair!" She laughed, running a hand through her own hair. "But I suppose I'm proof that certain genes always dominate."

"Somehow I don't think you were ever destined to be any different than you are." The compliment slipped past Emma's lips before she realized what she was saying. The sincerity of her statement surprised them both, she could tell by the shy smile that appeared on the younger woman's lips. "I mean…I think everyone turns out exactly the way they're meant to. Everything happens for a reason. Fate, destiny and all that good stuff."

"That must be why you're standing in my kitchen this very moment then?" Regina went with it.

"Speaking of which, you should be more careful you know?" Regina looked at her uncertain as to where Emma was going with this. "You let me into your apartment and left me alone."

_Here we go again,_ Regina thought to herself. "Soooo…we're back on this again. Did you steal anything?" Regina asked bluntly. "I mean, it wouldn't actually be stealing, until you've _left_ with it, but-"

"Well, no." Emma, thrown, responded with a slight lift of her brow. She looked down at the floor and smiled to herself, knowing that she was being a little ridiculous

"Then what should I be more careful about?" She paused. Regina knew that they were slowly beginning to dance around each other. Testing the waters. So she added "It's not like I let every random person into my home. I have standards, you know."

_I meet her standards? _ Emma questioned herself. She regarded Regina carefully before saying anything more. It seemed to her that for the niece of such a high profile member of the Mexican Mafia, this woman was far too trusting. Mostly, Emma didn't trust anyone any further than she could throw them. Mafia or not. And Regina's current display of 'ignorance is bliss', was leading Emma to believe that she might need to start reconsidering everything she _thought_ she knew about her.

_Say something. _ "It just seems to me that in such a big city, a person- a woman would be a little more cautious. Even with other women."

"Are you _trying_ to warn me away from you? Or is paranoia just your 'thing'?" Regina waved her hands around in the air, punctuating her question. After a second she turned, pulling a cookie out of a jar and started using her hands to speak once again. "This is like the tenth time we've talked about this…" An exaggeration.

Emma allowed a slight smile to creep onto her lips as she watched Regina chewing thoughtfully on the small snack. What was that saying she'd heard so long ago? Something about how you could tell by watching a person eat, how good they were in bed? Emma shook the thought from her mind. That was the last thing she needed to be concentrating on.

"I wouldn't say I'm paranoid. I've just seen and heard about too many bad things that've happened to people in this city." She told her. "You have to be careful."

"I'll keep that in mind." Regina smiled. "But I don't think I'll start with you."

"Why's that?"

"Because then I'd have to ask you to leave."

She recognized that Regina was trying to be playful and decided to go along with it. She wasn't the type who usually went for who or what she wanted. Emma was the kind of person who sat back and let people come to her. And when they would, she never kept them around for very long. But with Regina, Emma suddenly found herself throwing caution to the wind. Wasn't this the woman who had scared her away two nights ago? Who had sent her running for the hills, as far away as possible? But something was calling her back. Every part of her body suddenly seemed to have a mind of its own. Pushing away from the counter, she moved to stand in front of Regina, carefully placing her hands on both of her legs. Emma looked into Regina's shimmering green eyes, silently asking permission to move in closer.

"We couldn't have that." Slowly she slid her hands up the outside of Regina's legs, stopping at her waist. "I believe I was a little…hasty, the other night when I stopped you from…kissing me."

Emma's heart was pounding in her chest and Regina found herself leaning forward, her face inches from Emma's. The remainder of the small snack was long forgotten as it slipped unnoticed from Regina's fingers and fell from the counter to the floor. No one had ever elicited this reaction Emma's senses seemed to be having. Not even- No. She didn't want to think about that. She _wouldn't_ think about that.

Especially now.

Especially here.

Not with this woman.

Their lips found each other and Regina allowed Emma to take the lead, parting her lips when Emma's tongue sought entrance. Amazing, the young Agent thought to herself, feeling the sharp burning sensation that ran through her body, directly to her core. Emma laced her fingers through the belt loops on Regina's jeans, using them as leverage to pull her to the edge of the counter.

Instinctively, Regina's legs wrapped themselves around the other woman's waist. Her fingers curling into Emma's hair as if she had no control over her own body. They continued to kiss feverishly as if the other could disappear at any moment. Emma's hands fell away from the loops, searching for the hem of Regina's shirt.

A moment later, hands touching bare skin, caressing the small of her back set Regina's body on fire. Every inch of her skin felt as if it was burning and she wanted more. She was beginning to feel lightheaded and the next thing she knew, her whole body was completely weightless and she realized that Emma had lifted her from the counter. Regina pulled back for a moment and found herself looking into Emma's blue eyes. She could tell that this woman was an old soul and somehow knew they had been here before. That they belonged here now. To each other.

"Upstairs." Regina whispered, telling Emma where to take her. Everything about Emma felt incredibly familiar to Regina. Before she knew what she was doing, Regina's hands were on the back of Emma's neck, pulling her in for another kiss.

Emma was walking blindly. Moving on instinct, remembering the way the apartment was laid out; Emma found herself hoping that she could make it up the stairs to Regina's bed before she lost her grip _and_ her nerve. She'd done a lot of things in her life, but carrying a woman up a set of stairs without looking where she was going was completely new to her. She knew what she was doing was insane. This was a case and she shouldn't be here with this woman. Not here. Not now. The timing was terrible, but Emma couldn't stop herself. She wanted more.

She wanted to touch every inch of this woman's body. Wanted to get lost. To crawl inside her skin and never return. She felt her legs come into contact with the bed and eased forward laying Regina down. Emma didn't let go, but instead supported her own weight as she balanced herself above the other woman. Her heart was racing as she pressed their bodies closer. A sense of urgency lingered inside, but Emma refused to rush. Tearing her mouth away, she planted a trail of kisses from Regina's ear, down the line of her neck and to her chest, nibbling carefully on the bit of exposed flesh just above her breasts.

With her head thrown back, her body slightly arched, Regina was breathing heavily and saw no sign of change in her near future. Somehow, Emma remained oddly composed. At least it appeared that way to Regina. Emma moved back up to Regina's lips once more, kissing her deeply. Slowly and with purpose. And it was almost enough to send Regina over the edge but she remained there, lingering on the verge of ecstasy, waiting- no, hoping for more.

"Oh Gods…" Regina mumbled between kisses. Emma smiled before taking possession of Regina's lips. Neither of them could hear anything except for the sound of deep steady breathing and soft sensual moaning that turned them on just a little bit more.

Emma reached for Regina's hands where they were around her neck and moved them to pin her wrists above her head. She drew her tongue from the exposed line of cleavage, to the tip of Regina's chin, causing her back to arch as she writhed beneath the soft weight of Emma's body. Supporting herself with her legs where she remained suspended over Regina's slightly smaller form, Emma lifted herself, letting go of Regina's arms in exchange for placing her hands on the hem of the other woman's shirt.

"Are you sure?" Emma asked Regina softly.

"Yes." Regina shook her head, her face flushed from all the emotions she was currently experiencing. Emma leaned in to kiss her once more, pulling her shirt up just a little as her hands pushed their way underneath. Slowly finding their way towards her breasts.

"I-" Regina tried to speak between kisses. "I've never…"

Emma paused, pulling back to look Regina in the eyes, giving her a moment to get out what she was trying to say. Neither of them realized that her impending admission was about to bring their tryst to a quick halt.

"You've never what?" She smiled sweetly at the woman beneath her. Regina looked away shyly, pulling back into herself as a child might do in the presence of a stranger, suddenly conscious of how things were about to go.

"Regina?" Emma urged, wondering where their conversation was headed. Gently, she pulled Regina's shirt back into place. "You've never what?"

"Never…" she took a deep breath. "Never been- with a-…"

"Oh." Emma whispered, the realization of the words sweeping over her like a tidal wave. It was all she could say. It wasn't as if Emma had never had sex with a straight woman. She'd been a first for many of them, in fact. But it still remained that something about Regina was different. Emma didn't want to just use her and move on. She wanted to take care of her. Provide for, shelter and protect her. And she had no clue where it was all coming from.

Regina pulled away and Emma moved off of her to sit next to Regina on the bed. Emma never looked away, watching as Regina sat up. She tugged her shirt back into place. _She looks like a scared teenager on her first date._ Timid. That's the word Emma was searching for. This extremely happy, cheerful, 'knows-what-she-wants' woman had done a one hundred and eighty degree turn around in a matter of seconds. Emma reached out to touch Regina's arm.

"Regina?" Emma encouraged Regina to look up at her. _I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say_.

No response. Regina had met Emma's green eyes with her chocolate brown, but didn't speak. She sat there waiting. Her emotions were fighting back and forth between fear, humiliation and the unfamiliar primal need her body was telling her to act on.

"Okay, um... I guess I- hell, I don't know what to say. I'm not gonna lie." Emma shrugged, running a hand through her long hair. "There are a million things running through my brain right now. And I don't know what to say."

Regina dropped her head into her hands. No news was bad news. Isn't that what they say?

"Okay," Emma began in a rational tone. She reached for Regina's leg and placed her hand there, hoping to reassure her that everything was okay. "Right now? There _is_ one question that keeps popping up more than the others and that would be, 'Are you attracted to women?'."

The answer was faint, but reached Emma's sensitive ears. "I'm attracted to _you_…"

"Okay, so, that's a start." Emma paused, thinking carefully how to word the next few questions. "So when you say 'never', I'm assuming that you mean you've never had _sex_ with a woman?" Regina nodded, listening carefully. "What about kissing? Have you kissed other women?"

"Yeah," Regina's tone seemed slightly more confident. "I've just never, you know…gone through with it."

"'Gone through with it.' Okay, well, then this definitely isn't going to happen right now." Emma saw Regina take in a deep breath and release it slowly. She didn't want to upset the woman, but Emma just didn't think she was ready to 'break her in' on the first day they spent together. Especially not when she thought more of her than that. _Change the subject and make it quick._ "I think we should go somewhere."

"Okay. What do you have in mind?"

_How did I let this get so out of hand? _"We could go get food, for starters? I'm pretty hungry." Emma was grasping at straws. Anything that would get them out of the bedroom would be good at this point. "There's a café over on Connecticut Avenue that I go to a lot. Great food. Outdoor seating…" _Plenty of distraction._

"That sounds good." Regina answered. "I could definitely eat."

Emma smiled and stood from the bed. Facing the other woman she extended a hand which Regina accepted and allowed Emma to pull her up. Only inches apart, Emma reached out and brushed a few stray hairs away from the other woman's eyes. _What is it about your eyes?_ She allowed her hand to linger on Regina's cheek and smiled reassuringly. Leaning in, Emma placed a light kiss on Regina's lips.

"We'll go get some food and we can talk." Emma smiled, sighing mentally and silently wishing for a cold shower instead of food.

_

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	5. Chapter 5

******DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

CHAPTER 5

The two women decided to walk to the café Emma had suggested. It was only a few blocks away and the weather was nice, offering the opportunity for conversation that her motorcycle wouldn't have allowed. And conversation was what they both needed. As they walked to the front door, Emma stepped forward to open it for the younger woman. Regina smiled to herself and glanced at Emma to thank her as she stepped out onto the front steps. Outside the sun was shining and the temperature was perfect for the walk ahead. Emma gestured to the right and fell into stride next to the younger woman.

"Have you had a good morning?" Emma asked, breaking the silence. Shoving her hands into her pockets she glanced over at the smaller woman next to her, trying hard to not think about what had just happened between them.

"I have." Regina responded with a smile. "What about you?"

"Let's see, I woke up, took the best shower ever, got on my bike and went for a ride, ended up here…" Emma nodded. "Yeah. I'd say my day has started off pretty good."

The conversation was light. But it felt forced and Emma silently hoped that something would cut the tension she was feeling. Walking next to this woman felt right, but not knowing what to say was making it a little hard to stay focused.

"What made it the best ever?" Regina asked. Her tone serious.

"What?" Emma looked at the woman next to her, confused. She had been lost in thought and was now lost on their conversation as well. Then it hit her. "OH." She laughed to herself. "My shower. Yeah. I don't know. I just appreciate a good shower."

"You must have good water pressure."

"Oh, definitely good water pressure."

"Do you have one of those expensive shower heads?" Regina inquired. "With all the different settings and special spray options?"

"No…no, actually it was pretty cheap. One spray option." Emma answered. "Mine was leaking and I picked up a new one at a one-stop-shop, so. Dumb luck I guess."

"So now every shower is your best shower ever?" Regina smiled to herself. "Hmm..."

"It always makes me feel human again after a long day." Emma laughed out loud. "How did we get here? This is officially the strangest conversation I have ever had." She stopped walking, causing Regina to pause in her step as well. Emma turned to look at her and smiled. "I like it."

"I like to be a little random sometimes." Regina smiled back at her. "With random, you never know where a conversation can go."

With that, they resumed walking.

"Just another block and we'll be there." Emma informed her. "To the best food you've had all day."

"But I haven't eaten today."

"That's not true." Emma responded seriously.

"How do you know?" Regina countered.

"I watched you nibble on a cookie." Emma answered flatly. "That's not a healthy breakfast, you know."

Regina smacked her playfully on the arm as they crossed the street, causing Emma to laugh.

"Smartass." Regina rolled her eyes in mock disgust.

Both women were quiet as the approached the hostess stand. They were greeted and seated quickly with menus in front of them and a glass of water while they waited.

"What's good here?" Regina asked, looking over the menu at the woman sitting across from her. Despite living so close to the café, Regina had never been there. With so many food and restaurant options in the Dupont area, it was easy to say you'd never eaten at a specific place, even if said place was right next door.

"I guess that depends on what kind of food you like." Emma started. "If you want something light, I'd definitely suggest the house salad. If you like meat, I'd have to suggest the blue burger. But that's strictly because I'm a blue cheese fan. If you like soups, go with the French onion. It's to-die-for. Then of course, they have a seafood penne pasta that literally melts in your mouth and I-"

Regina held up her hand, stopping Emma mid-sentence.

"I'm more confused now, than I was when I was looking for myself." Regina laughed. "Have you eaten everything on the menu?"

"Maybe." Emma said, pretending to be offended. "Besides, you asked."

"That, I did." She smiled.

"Sorry…" Emma smiled, giving her a small shrug. "I love food."

"You love showers, you love food…"

"I'm a passionate person." Emma's tone was serious. "Don't judge."

"No judging." Regina shook her head. "I like it." She paused. "Is someone going to take our order?"

**. . .**

They spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the city, people watching and talking. It turned out that getting to know each other was going to be a lot easier than either of them had expected. When they stopped briefly to look at puppies in the window of a pet store, Regina casually took Emma's hand in her own. Touching Emma seemed natural and left Regina with a feeling that this was where she was supposed to be.

"So you live alone and you're clearly an animal lover, but you don't have any pets?" Emma asked as they continued down the sidewalk, their hands still lightly entwined. "Is there a homeowners' association policy against you having one?"

"No." Regina sighed. "I've just never been able to decide. I don't want to have to choose! Someone will have to do it for me when the time comes."

It was late when they finally reached the front steps of Regina's apartment, back where they had started. Both women were exhausted, but remained standing. When they came to a stop, Emma cupped Regina's cheek with her free hand, pulled her in and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Thank you for a good day." She whispered against her mouth.

Regina smiled. Suddenly her breathing was shallow and her heart was racing. "Thank _you_ for a good day."

Emma pulled back to look into the other woman's eyes. "When can I see you again?"

"Whenever you want?" Regina's tone was hopeful.

"Ahhh…you're ridiculous!" Emma laughed softly. "You can't tell me that. I'll take advantage of it and you'll be sick of me."

"I can't imagine that will ever happen."

Regina smiled back and her gorgeous brown eyes seemed to sparkle. _ There's that thing again. With her eyes. I know those eyes._

"When are you free again?" Regina asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"My schedule is flexible."

"What about tomorrow?" Regina smiled hopefully. "First thing in the morning?"

"How early?"

"As early as you can get here." Regina answered quickly. They stood facing each other and Regina took Emma's hands in her own.

"Deal."

Kissing her one last time, Emma stepped back, allowing Regina to take the steps up to the door, releasing her hand when they were too far apart to touch anymore. She watched as Regina disappeared inside, waiting to leave until the door was closed securely behind her.

**. . .**

The following morning Emma stood on Regina's doorstep at six a.m., a bag in one hand and cup carrier in the other. She reached up and knocked on the door twice. Before she could drop her hand back down to her side, Emma could hear the clicking of the locks on the other side of the door. She smiled to herself, wondering if the other woman had been standing there waiting. When the door finally swung open, Regina smiled brightly despite the sleep that still lingered in her eyes. Emma took in the sight before her; Regina looking as though she'd barely ran her hands through her hair, completely free of make-up, wearing a simple vintage rock band t-shirt and a pair of baggy gym shorts. She was fascinated by the fact that unlike so many women, Regina hadn't gotten herself dressed and made up, just to try and impress her, regardless of what time it was. Emma had never seen a better sight.

"You're going to spoil me, answering the door that fast." Emma smiled, stepping into the doorway. Regina was still squinting against the early morning light. "Most women would play hard to get."

"I don't know what I'll do when the day comes that you're not warning me away from you. I'm just not sure what you want from me anymore." Regina sighed. Was this how every encounter between them was going to begin? Regina wasn't sure, but she liked it. Something about Emma's presence and gentle teasing comforted her.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Emma responded then quickly changed the subject. "Did I wake you?"

"No." Regina shook her head, ushering Emma into the hallway and locked the door behind her. When they reached the kitchen, Emma pulled out a chair from the dining room table and gestured for Regina to sit before pulling out a seat for herself. When she scooted the chair in, she moved a little closer than she probably should have and hoped that Regina wouldn't mind. "I didn't sleep so good last night. I've been trying to go back to sleep since three."

"Why didn't you text me? I could have come by later." She watched the Regina closely.

"Then I would have missed breakfast." Regina smiled. "And you."

"I see where I stand." Emma pretended to be offended. "You don't even know what's in this bag."

Regina sniffed the air in front of her. "My nose is telling me you have cake donuts and two black coffees."

"And your nose is right." Emma didn't miss a beat. She completely understood how someone could distinguish the smell of donuts and coffee, but found herself thoroughly confused by how Regina knew that the donuts were cake. Opening the bag, she pulled out a small stack of napkins and laid one out in front of Regina. Next, she pulled out two donuts placing one on the napkin and keeping the other for her. "I had no idea if you even like coffee, I just know I couldn't bring myself to order one of those that would require me to use made up words and call it non-fat. It's just too much."

"I'll take my coffee black any day." Regina reached over and snagged a cup from the carrier. "Don't get me wrong, I can order the others with the best of them, but I have to be in the mood for it. Mostly, I just want my coffee black."

"I'm not sure those other things should even be considered coffee." Emma sighed heavily and bit into her donut. "By the way, when you called me the other night, it came up as restricted. What am I going to do if I want to call you? Or text you?"

Regina smiled and held out her hand. Without a word, Emma reached into her pocket and handed over her phone. Within a few seconds Regina was returning it to her. She smiled. "Now you have my number."

"I'll admit I've gotten numbers faster. And I've also never had to ask." Emma flipped through her contacts and smiled when she found the entry Regina had entered then slid the phone back into her jacket.  
"Just be sure to use it." She gave Emma a stern look before biting off a large chunk of donut.

"Yes ma'am."

"So why are you up this early?" Regina asked through her mouthful of breakfast. Emma looked up to watch her chew. She wasn't quite sure what her fascination was with watching the other woman eat. Emma had never paid attention to other women's eating habits. "Do you have to be at work?"

"Not really." She smiled, swallowing her own bite and wondering how to avoid a conversation about what she actually does for a living. At the last second, she made something up. "It's a freelance investigation company. Cheating spouses, people who owe people money. I get to work on my own time and I pretty much just work out of my house."

"I see." Regina shoved the last bite of donut into her mouth and was reaching for seconds while Emma was only halfway through her first. "And where is your house?"

"Takoma Park. Are you familiar with it?" Emma took a sip of her coffee. She was willing to talk about anything besides her fake job. A fake job that could throw up a red flag just as fast as, _'I work for the FBI!'_ She felt horrible for lying to the other woman and wanted to avoid it at all cost. Never mind the fact that just being in Regina's home was a lie. _How did I get here?_ Emma sighed mentally and continued to finish her breakfast.

"That's about forty-five minutes from here, isn't it?" Regina stared thoughtfully at the wall and then directed her attention back to Emma. "Is that why you brought me here the other night, because I live closer?"

Emma stopped mid-chew. It took her a moment to force the bite down as she considered what Regina was asking. Regina watched her carefully as she mulled over the answer in her head. How was she supposed to answer that?

"Yes." She finally spoke up. _That's not true._ Emma didn't want to lie needlessly. "Well. No. Actually, that's not why."

Regina waited patiently for her to finish, seemingly unfazed by the sudden change in her answer.

"I don't...take women home." Emma admitted. Wiping her mouth with a napkin, she straightened up her spot at the table. Wondering if she should say more or leave it at that, she glanced over at the woman sitting next to her. "I mean, I don't bring women into my home."

"Second dates?" Regina asked, taking the last bite of her second donut.

"Never."

Regina nodded, understanding what she was saying and also understanding the implications of Emma sitting at her table this very moment. Not only had she taken Regina home, she had refused to take her to bed not once but twice and now they were having breakfast together. Regina wondered to herself if Emma wasn't attracted to her, or if she _was_ attracted to her and that was the issue.

"Yet it's 6:30 on a Monday morning and here you sit in my living room." Regina raised her eyebrows as though it was a scandalous thought and laughed. "Whatever will your friends say?"

"It's a good thing I don't have any." Emma smiled in return. It was an honest statement. She'd had friends throughout the years, but had ultimately found that Neal was the only one she could truly trust with her life. The room fell silent for a moment as they both continued to drink their coffee. Emma's comment left her curious, but Regina didn't press any further. Not yet anyway. Emma gathered up the remnants of their breakfast and shoved it into the bag she'd carried in. Standing, she walked the trash to the garbage can she'd previously spotted in the kitchen. It was out of habit that she always seemed to retain images and information, as simple as the location of a trash can, in her head. Coming back around the corner, she joined Regina who was moving to sit on the more comfortable couch. "Do you have plans today?"

"There's a painting I've been working on, but other than that, nope." Regina pulled her legs up and underneath her and slipped the blanket over her lap from the back of the couch. Emma sat close enough to rest an arm on the younger woman's leg and when she did, Regina grabbed her hand and pulled it under the blanket tucking it safely against her bare skin. Emma's heart skipped as her hand came into contact with Regina's leg. "Did you have something in mind?"

_What is she asking?_ Emma wondered to herself. It wasn't even seven in the morning and already Regina was teasing her. Or maybe she wasn't. Maybe Regina was simply trying to be close to her. Maybe it was Emma who was reading more into it than what was really there. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat. "I'm sorry, what?"

Regina smiled. She knew that Emma had gotten lost in thought and couldn't help but wonder if she'd lost her simply because they were sitting so close or if it had happened when she'd pulled Emma's hand under the blanket. "Can I kiss you?"

Emma's mouth went dry and her heart began to race. Something about this woman consistently threw her off guard. Emma felt her face flush and she was suddenly burning up. She'd never been asked before. Usually women threw themselves at her without an invitation. She had to remind herself over and over that everything with Regina was different. Composing herself she finally answered. "Yes."

Regina wasted no time closing the distance between them. Reaching out, she rested her hand firmly against Emma's chest and gathered her shirt loosely. Understanding the intention, Emma leaned in and met her halfway, seizing the younger woman's mouth with her own. Regina's lips were warm and wet. And she tasted of coffee. Regina brushed Emma's lips with her tongue and pulled away each time Emma attempted to take control, teasing her relentlessly. Regina moved, rising up to straddle one of Emma's legs. When she leaned in resting her body against the other woman, Regina suddenly froze. Emma knew immediately that something was wrong.

"What's the matter?" The concern was apparent in her voice.

Regina smiled and crinkled her nose slightly as she raised herself up. She whispered against Emma's mouth. "I think your phone is vibrating."

After a brief second of confusion, Emma smiled, trying not to laugh. Reaching down to her side, she fished the cellphone from her pocket. Regina had positioned herself directly on the vibrating phone. "I am so sorry!" Emma laughed. "I can never feel it when it's in my pocket."

"I did." Regina smiled and raised an eyebrow.

Emma bit her lip and looked at the phone. Neal was calling. He was probably wondering why she hadn't made it into the office yet. There was no way she was going to have a conversation with Regina sitting in her lap. She would have to call him back. Both women were waiting patiently, Regina for Emma to do something and Emma for Neal to hang up or let the call go to voicemail. Knowing him he would probably leave a voicemail then call back all before finally just sending a text message like most normal people would do now. The call stopped. Emma shoved the phone back into her pocket.

"You didn't need to get that?" Regina asked, still smiling. "Though I'm kind of hopeful they call back after I get back to where I left off!"

It took Emma a second to comprehend what the younger woman was suggesting and when she did, she laughed.

"I'm sure he'll call back." She said. "And then he'll send a message. And then who knows what else."

"Do you need to go?" Regina asked cautiously, hoping the answer would be no.

"It was work." Emma answered. "But it can wait a few minutes."

Regina sighed. Just when she thought they might get somewhere, something had to interrupt. Maybe this thing between them wasn't supposed to happen. Or maybe she was just going to have to wait. Didn't her mother always used to tell her that good things would come to her if only she could just wait? _She did._ Regina relaxed, comfortably straddling Emma's left thigh. Running a hand through her hair, she ruffled her dark shoulder length tresses.

"If you're going to leave me," She paused. "Is there any chance I might talk you into taking me upstairs and...Maybe sitting with me until I go back to sleep?"

It was a surprising request, but could Emma refuse? _Of course not._ "Do you think you can behave?"

Regina tapped a finger on her chin as if she were thinking about the answer. "I suppose that depends on whether or not I'm going to receive a rain check."

"As many as you'd like, gorgeous." Emma's lips curled into a smile as she pulled her in for another kiss. 

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	6. Chapter 6

**********DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

CHAPTER 6

"Tell me something about yourself that I don't know yet." Emma said as she watched Regina sipping her coffee. It was Friday morning, the third of August. It had been two weeks since the night Emma had driven Regina home from the bar. The few times Emma had stopped by had been spent with idle chatting and the occasional comfortable silence. Mostly, they were getting to know each other, which they were finding to be quite easy.

"I like to read." Regina lifted an eyebrow at the other woman as she pinched off a piece of her donut and slowly placed it in her mouth.

Emma pinned her with a curious look then glanced at the large bookshelf against the brick wall. It was filled with books from top to bottom. "No kidding? I would have never guessed that."

"So, Ms. Swan. Tell me something about yourself that I don't know yet." Regina smiled, unable to pretend to be serious.

"I enjoy visiting the museums and art galleries here in DC. My parents used to take me when I was little." She shared. "That was before they got so busy that they forgot they had a kid."

Regina's eyes dropped and she sucked her bottom lip in, chewing on it thoughtfully. Although she had been unsure of what to expect, Regina had been caught off guard by Emma's simple admission. Sitting her coffee cup on the table, she reached over and placed her hand on the other woman's arm. "What do they do?"

"My mother is the lead neurosurgeon at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. And my father is the Director of the Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore." Emma rattled off the information as if they could have been servers in a restaurant.

"Wow." Regina was slightly stunned. "That's not intimidating at all."

"Oh yeah. They're all about saving the world. Like they're fairytale heroes or something. Sometimes I'm still not sure how they found the time to have me." Emma continued. "But they did. And for the first few years, they made time for me. They took me to museums and art galleries and occasionally to some of their social functions. But only if it was a place where kids were welcome. Eventually they hired a nanny and that was that."

"Hmm," Regina went back to nibbling on her lip. Her breakfast forgotten for the time being. "I've always wondered how people can just let their kids be raised by a stranger."

"Eventually...the nanny isn't a stranger." Emma shook her head and took a sip from her cup, talking about the situation as if it were no big deal. "Eventually, the nanny is your best friend and your parents are giving you whatever you want to make up for their not being there. You get used to it. It becomes normal."

"Do you still talk to them?" Regina was concerned. Growing up without parents made her see things from a completely different angle. From the outside, it was harder for her to understand why someone would let their child grow up without being there for them every step of the way. "Or see them?"

"Occasionally my mother will call me to come out, if one or both of them have time and want to know what I've been up to. That rarely ever happens." Emma gave a half smile at that. "We do have a family dinner once a year though, and it's not an option to miss it."

"Oh really. And why the one dinner?" Regina was intrigued.

"Thanksgiving." Emma laughed.

"Wow." Regina laughed with her.

"My turn." Emma was quick to change the subject. "Tell me something else."

"I have had exactly two boyfriends in my entire life." Regina pushed her chair back and stood, taking Emma's hand. Giving her a gentle tug, Regina moved to the couch with Emma in tow. It was only going on seven in the morning. But she knew Emma would have to leave soon and wanted to be closer to her than the dining table would allow. When they reached the couch, Emma sank into the cushions and stretched out, pulling Regina down next to her. Regina snuggled into Emma's body and continued talking. "I met the first one my senior year of high school, but my cousins managed to run him off about a year after we graduated. The second, Greg, managed to stick around for about four years before he decided to come out of the closet."

"Four years?" Emma repeated in disbelief then laughed. "Late bloomer?"

"I never saw it coming." Regina shook her head sadly, laughing right along with Emma. "I really should have realized it when he _wasn't_ trying to have sex with me all the time. We were basically roommates who shared a bed."

"So you've been single for how long?" Emma raised an eyebrow curiously, though the younger woman couldn't see her face. With only two boyfriends it made Emma realize that Regina must either be fiercely loyal, or extremely picky about the people she kept in her life. But thinking about it, she wondered if maybe both of those attributes applied.

Regina was counting on her fingers and mouthing something to herself before she came up with an answer. "Three years."

"I don't like to be alone." Emma admitted. "Three years is ridiculous. I can't imagine that in three years you haven't found _some_one worthy of your time. And how are you not incredibly sexually frustrated."

Regina raised up then and turned over so that she could see Emma's face. She was practically on top of her once again. Regina shook her head. "Ask yourself a question this time. What happened the night we met?"

Emma thought on the question for a moment and put two-and-two together. "So you're saying you were desperate when you danced with me?"

Regina smacked her playfully, causing Emma to smile. "No. Not in the least. I knew exactly what I wanted, but unfortunately I had to drink to get my courage up and by the time you got me home, I'd had too much. I might have been hoping you'd take advantage of me!"

Emma, though amused, got serious for a moment and made eye contact with the younger woman. "You deserve better than that."

"I didn't bet on you being so chivalrous." Regina leaned in and kissed her sweetly. When she pulled away she added, "And that turned me on even more. Then you left me hanging. But that's okay...I took care of it myself."

Emma's mouth fell open at Regina's blatant admission of her actions. Regina shrugged. "How else do you think I survived three years alone!?"

"And it's time for me to get to work." Emma laughed, still pinned beneath her. "Before you start something we don't have time to finish."

Emma knew it was obvious that she was always running away when topic came up, but she wasn't ready to go there with Regina yet.

"Don't you mean before I start something you _won't_ finish?" Regina challenged, squirming subtly in attempt to tease the older woman. It was working and they both knew it, but Emma refused to give in. Eventually the moment would present itself. Then and only then would Emma take things further.

"Do I need to explain myself?"

"Yes." Regina smiled, suddenly looking forward to hearing Emma wax poetic about how she was special and deserved to be treated with respect. It was all very sweet, the way Emma refused to just take her to bed, but that didn't mean that Regina understood. Too many nights, she'd watched Emma leave the bar with one stranger or another. So why did it suddenly matter? What had changed?

Emma sighed heavily and bracing the younger woman in her arms, she sat up leaving Regina straddling her lap and their faces mere inches apart. Regina draped her arms around Emma's neck, playing with her long wavy locks while she waited for Emma's response.

"Regina, I know that you thought- hell, _I_ thought I was just going to bring you home and use you and move on with my life." She shook her head, slightly embarrassed by her past actions, but maintained eye contact none the less. "And I know that it sounds absurd or ridiculous or whatever you want to call it, but the minute we touched there was this- this thing. I don't know. I felt something happen. And I don't know if you felt it too, but between dancing with you and driving you home- I just, I know that it's only been two weeks, but I knew _then_ that you weren't like anyone else."

Regina nodded silently, taking in everything that she was saying. She understood completely because she'd felt it all too. For some otherworldly reason they'd been drawn to each other, so who was she to question the universe?

"Something is happening. I don't know what it is or why, but I'm not going to question it and I sure as hell don't want to take it for granted." Emma continued. "I don't want to mess this up. And I most certainly _don't_ want to rush it. You deserve flowers and dinner and all of that other romantic stuff. It's going to happen. And it's going to be...amazing. Just- not yet."

Regina sighed and smiled sweetly at the woman whose lap she was currently occupying. "That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."

"I feel a 'but' coming on." Emma put a hand up between them. "_So, _I'm going to stop you. My mind will not be changed."

Regina cocked her head slightly, watching the other woman with curious eyes. She couldn't figure Emma out. She wanted to, but Regina knew that it would happen in due time. Learning all of Emma's secrets, finding out what made her tick and everything else she wanted from her. But clearly, Emma Swan was not one to be rushed. For now all Regina knew was that whenever this woman was in her presence, her world felt right. Complete. When they were apart, there were pieces of her missing and it just didn't feel okay. So it seemed to Regina that having patience was the only option she had.

**. . .**

"Em." Neal smiled when he looked up to find his partner standing over him. He tossed his pen onto the desk and leaned back as Emma sat down in the only other chair in his cubicle. "What'd you do this weekend? I haven't seen you since Friday."

"The usual. Drove some. Slept some." She shrugged and found that she was only mildly concerned with how easily she had just lied to her best friend.

"You could've at least returned my call, Swan." Neal pinned her with a look that said he was slightly annoyed with her.

"I know. I just had a lot on my mind." Emma looked away, suddenly feeling bad for ignoring him in lieu of spending time with Regina. For the first time, Emma wasn't sure that Neal would understand. How could he? Emma knew that if Neal had come to her and said 'Hey, I'm in love with a suspect!' she'd think he was crazy. Hell, at the moment Emma found herself wondering if _she_ was crazy.

"Something's different." Neal said breaking the silence between them. "I don't know what it is, but it's something."

"Your job is making you paranoid." Emma shook her head and stood to leave. "Nothing is different. I just fell off the grid for a couple days. I needed to be alone."

Neal took a deep breath and released it slowly. He didn't want to push. "Let's go eat one night this week."

"Sounds good to me." She smiled. It was hard not being completely honest with him. Neal had been her best friend for almost her entire life. Not being able to talk to him about what was going on in her life was twice as hard. "You pick the place and it's on me."

**. . .**

The next few days, Emma found herself getting home later and later. The time she was spending with Regina continued to fly by with ease. As promised, Emma had met her partner for dinner at a small place they were both familiar with between their respective homes. Neal didn't ask questions which Emma was extremely thankful for. As much as she hated the secrecy, the idea of telling him everything was just as unfavorable. Much to her surprise he spent their entire evening making small talk and bouncing ideas off of her about other cases. She missed spending time with her best friend.

Once they'd parted ways, Emma found herself headed to Regina's place once again. For the life of her she just couldn't stay away. When she reached the younger woman's house, Emma pulled up to the curb and flipped the switch to kill the engine on her ride. Slipping her helmet off of her head, she sat it gently on the tank with one hand while she fished her phone from her jacket pocket with the other and began to type out a message.

_"__If I gave you three guesses, could you figure out where I am?"_ She hit send and waited.

**. . .**

Regina was sitting on her bed with her laptop in front of her when she heard her phone singing a telltale song to let her know she was receiving a message. Pushing the computer out of the way, she reached for her nightstand where the phone lay charging. Unplugging the phone, she listened to the song play for a moment, knowing exactly who the message was from. When she read the message she smiled to herself. Regina stood from the bed and made her way to the front window, careful not to move the curtains too much as she peaked out the front window. Her smile widened. Just as she suspected, Emma was parked across the street, perched on her motorcycle.

_"__I only need one."_ She hit send and watched through the window while the other woman received the message. A second later her phone was singing again.

_"__What if you're not right?"_

Regina laughed out loud in the empty room. She decided to play. _"Then you will most definitely be in trouble."_

Outside, Emma smiled to herself as she read the message. Regina was quite the firecracker. Aside from so many other things. Quick-witted was on the top of the list as well and Emma found that she couldn't wait to see where the other woman was taking their conversation. She responded. _"Amazing. Only *I* could get into trouble for someone else's incorrect answer."_

Regina headed down the stairs toward the front door as she typed the last message she intended to send. It had been a little more than a day since she'd seen Emma's face and though she knew that it was bordering on ridiculous how much she missed the other woman, Regina couldn't help herself. _"You have 3 seconds to get your sexy self, off that motorcycle and to my front door."_

When she hit send, Regina paused at the front door to run her hand through her hair. Reaching for the doorknob, she swung the door open, fully prepared to give Emma a hard time for not making it to the door first. Instead, she was greeted by the woman leaning comfortably against the frame of the door as if she'd been kept waiting.

Emma raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I win."

"Do you know what time it is, Ms. Swan?" Regina promptly crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot not appreciating being beaten to the punch. Before Emma could answer, Regina continued. "What if I tell you that I don't accept late callers?"

"Then I guess it's a good thing I didn't call!" Emma gave the other woman her sexiest smile and stepped into the hallway. Nudging the door closed with her foot, Emma pushed Regina back against the wall. "I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep if I didn't see you for a minute tonight."

Regina inched closer and closer to the woman in front her. "If you don't kiss me...I might make you leave."

Without a second thought, Emma's lips were pressed against Regina's who wasted no time parting them so that their tongues were sliding over each other in a warm and wet tangled mess. Regina loved the way Emma kissed her senseless every time. She'd never been kissed with so much purpose before. Emma felt her heart rate rising as things between them heated up. Regina caught Emma's bottom lip between her teeth as she was slowing pulling away, giving it one last nibble before they parted.

"Mmm. If you keep that up, I might not let you leave."

"Stay, leave. You can't seem to make up your mind." Emma smiled against Regina's lips before kissing her gently. "Maybe I can help you with that."

Regina attacked Emma's lips once again, pulling her down the hall as she ravished the taller woman's mouth. Emma found her hands creeping under Regina's shirt as she was being led to the couch and though she wanted to put a stop to it before things went too far, there was a part of her that just didn't care tonight. Emma tangled her hands into Regina's brunette locks and pulled her closer. The feel of Regina's tongue against her own was driving her insane and threatened to take over her senses. She wanted to feel this woman's mouth on every square inch of her body.

But before either one realized it, they had reached Regina's intended destination and when the back of her legs hit the couch, Regina stumbled taking Emma down with her. "Oh damn!" Emma cursed as she wrapped her arms quickly around the younger woman to protect her. As soon as they landed, both women erupted into laughter.

"I stopped by to kiss you good night." Emma told Regina once their breathing had settled.

"Mission accomplished!" Regina responded and they both began laughing again, not moving from the spot where they'd crashed. "I guess that was karma…"

Emma rose up enough to look at the woman tangled in her arms. She raised a curious eyebrow. "Karma? For what, exactly?"

Regina had the decency to look guilty. Guilty of what, Emma was unsure. "Well… Once I realized you were here, I may or may not have intended to tie you up and hold you against your will."

Emma laughed at the admission. "Yes. That is definitely a crime punishable by a spill over a sofa arm. But that doesn't explain why I went down with the ship!"

Regina smacked Emma's arm playfully and buried her face in the other woman's neck. She took a moment to compose herself. Laughter or not, Regina was frustrated. She wanted Emma so bad she could taste it. And the longer Emma made her wait, the more her frustration grew. Untangling herself from Emma's arms, Regina resituated herself so that the two of them would be more comfortable. Noticing the silence, Emma decided to fill the void.

"So what have you been doing since I saw you last?"

"A friend of mine stopped by today. She wants to get together sometime this week with a couple of our other friends." She shrugged. "For some reason she seems to think that I don't get out much lately."

Emma smiled. She knew that wasn't true. However, she also knew that Regina had been spending a great deal of time with her which meant that she, Emma, was occupying most of Regina's waking hours which in turn was keeping Regina from spending time with her other friends. "You should go."

"I'm going to." Regina sighed.

Emma moved to sit up and Regina knew immediately that it meant she was about to depart. Regina hated it when Emma left. Every time the moment came, she felt sick and lately the feeling was getting worse. She'd never felt this way before and couldn't decide yet if it was a good thing. Emma leaned in as Regina sat up and kissed her gently on the lips.

"I'm glad I came by." She whispered against Regina's lips. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you." Regina took Emma's face between her hands and gave her a kiss that she knew Emma would not soon forget. If Emma was going to leave, Regina was going to give her a reason to come back. When she pulled back, Regina watched as Emma attempted to swallow a lump in her throat. "Be safe going home."

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**CHAPTER 7**

Emma's phone vibrated as she was climbing onto her motorcycle. She hadn't been to work in a couple days. In her opinion, going to the office was always pointless. Emma didn't feel it necessary to have a desk to do her job and contacting her boss from her phone had proven over time, to be much easier than dealing with him face to face. At the moment she was currently on her way home from meeting with an informant he'd sent her to speak to. Normally Emma was with Neal when she did these things, but as it happened, she had been out and about when her supervisor had contacted her and asked her to meet an the guy for another case. Pulling the phone from her pocket, she hit the slide to unlock it. A text message from Regina was waiting for her.

_"__Where are you?" _

Emma could hear the younger woman's voice as she read the message and smiled to herself. A few weeks had passed and they had been seeing each other frequently since the first morning Emma had brought her donuts and coffee. She had stopped by on her way home and occasionally in the mornings to bring Regina breakfast or just to steal a kiss on her way to work. Though, she tried to refrain from stopping by too often first thing, so that she wasn't waking Regina up before the crack of dawn all the time. When they weren't together, they were sending each other messages on the phone. Every moment they spent together, every conversation was an opportunity to learn more about each other.

More than once, things had heated up a little more than Emma was ready to handle and she always managed to bring those situations to a grinding halt, much to the other woman's dismay. And more than once Regina had literally begged Emma to stay the night. It was killing her, but she refused to give in. Since the night she'd taken Regina home from the bar where they'd met, Emma hadn't given her attention to another female. No one else seemed to exist anymore and taking home a stranger was no longer an option in Emma's eyes. Emma felt bound to Regina, but she had no idea how to explain why she kept putting a stop to the intimate situations.

Emma touched the button to reply. _"Where do you want me?"_ she typed. Pausing for a moment, she read the message again. Should she send it? Should she say something else? Emma knew the message would start a vicious cycle of flirting and sexual innuendo that would ultimately end in her changing the subject albeit not so subtly. She enjoyed flirting with Regina. Enjoyed teasing and being teased. The fact remained that Emma wanted Regina and Regina wanted Emma. So why was Emma making her wait? Emma told herself that it was simply because she needed to make sure that she was what Regina wanted. But that was only a small part of why she continued to hold back.

"What the hell." Emma mumbled to herself. She hit send. "What can it hurt?"

Instead of taking off, she waited for a moment to see if Regina would reply. A second later the phone vibrated.

_"__Is that a trick question?"_

_ "__I thought yours was."_ Emma typed quickly. _"Considering you have a prior engagement tonight?"_

_ "__I was hoping you had forgotten about that and were going to tell me you were on your way to sweep me off my feet. ;)"_

Emma smiled at the last message. Anyone looking might have wondered why she was staring at her phone with a goofy grin on her face, but she didn't mind. She replied, _"You should go out with your friends. You're the one who said you hadn't seen them in a while. You can see me any time you like. And besides, we have plans tomorrow night."_

_ "__That's tomorrow. I'll miss you terribly until tomorrow night gets here."_

_ "__And you can text me any time you like, babe. It will be here before you know it."_

_ "__I could get used to hearing you call me that. I like it."_

Emma wanted to see Regina, but she resisted the urge to give in. Slow. She needed to go slow. _Why? You know why. _She sighed to herself. Sometimes her inner monologue got old. _"I'm heading home. I'll be around if you need me. ;) Enjoy your evening, gorgeous. Can't wait to see you tomorrow."_

She slipped the phone back into her pocket and turned the key on the motorcycle. Home was only 30 miles away, but some days the drive could take an hour. It didn't matter that it was Thursday. It didn't matter what day of the week it was for that matter, the Capitol traffic was always heavy anddealing with her boss's informant had been mentally taxing. For once, Emma was just ready to get home and relax.

**. . .**

The following morning, heading out the front door, Emma grabbed her jacket from the banister and locked the door behind her as she was pulling it shut. She gave the knob a jiggle, just to double check and turned to head down the front steps. She looked up to see Neal getting out of his truck by the curb in front of her house.

"Swan." He yelled, throwing his hands up. "Where have you been?"

Emma glanced at the watch on her arm and looked back up as she headed towards the road. Neal walked around the front of the truck and leaned against the passenger side as she approached him.

"What do you mean? I just saw you yesterday." Emma looked at him, clearly confused.

"What's going on with you? Ragan's not happy, Em. You haven't been to work in three days. No one's heard from you. _I_ haven't heard from you." Neal raised his eyebrows, waiting for a response. "I didn't just see you yesterday. I haven't seen you since Tuesday."

"What day is it?" Emma asked.

She sounded serious, but Neal was unsure. "You're kidding me right?"

"Yes. I'm kidding." She deadpanned. "I know what day it is. It's Friday. I've been busy."

"Busy." Neal repeated, mostly to his self. "You've been busy? Busy doing _what,_ Em?"

Neal was bugged and his best friend could tell. He hadn't seen or spoken to Emma in three days and it just wasn't like her. Even before, after everything that happened to her, she had still never gone a day without contacting Neal in some way. Something was up and he was catching on.

"It's nothing. Just work stuff."

"Since when do you do '_work stuff_' without your partner?" He questioned. "Were you headed somewhere?"

"I've just been going over the files Neal. Really." She tried to sound reassuring, but he knew her better than that. Seeing the look of uncertainty on his face, she added, "We haven't been able to catch a break in months. Things just aren't adding up. And yes I was leaving."

"So fill me in. Isn't that what being a partner is about?" Neal shoved his hands in his pockets and looked around. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of line his best friend was about to feed him. He was beginning to feel like he was being lied to and didn't like it at all. But the rational portion of his brain insisted that if Emma was lying, it must be for a good reason.

Emma took a deep breath and stepped toward him. "Just let me check into some things and I promise I'll fill you in. You trust me, don't you?"

"Yeah, Em. You know I do." He sighed. "I'm just worried about you. That's all."

"There's nothing to worry about. I swear." She patted him on the arm. "I've never been better, Neal."

"You've been distant lately, okay?" Neal decided to confess his thoughts. "You're never available and I'm having a hard time with it. You're my best friend and I can't help but feel like something isn't right. You know I trust you. I just want to be there for you."

Emma smiled to herself. She knew Neal was right. But she wasn't quite ready to tell him everything. She had been spending all of her free time with Regina, so why wouldn't she expect him to catch on. Emma knew that her best friend was smarter than that. She would have to tell him soon.

"So what are you getting us into, today?" Neal asked. "You want me to come with?"

Emma considered her options. Her plans with Regina weren't until later in the evening. And humoring Neal with a little stake-out might not be such a bad idea. It would give her the opportunity to do a little snooping and ease Neal's irritation with her at the same time. And as much as she loved her motorcycle, it was nice to not have to drive sometimes.

"Sure." Emma nodded. "But you're driving."

"Fine with me." Neal pushed away from the truck where he was previously propped. "It's after ten, have you eaten yet?"

They both opened their doors and climbed into the truck.

"Of course I've eaten." Emma laughed to herself as Neal pulled away from the curb. "But I'm always hungry."

He stopped at the nearest fast food place so they could grab a bite to eat and once they were on the road again he spoke up. "So what's on the agenda?"

"I was thinking we could cruise by the Mills Cafe and see if anything was going on."

"Sounds good…" Neal nodded and made a turn to head towards the small restaurant.

**. . .**

One block from the restaurant, Neal parallel parked in the closest spot he could find. He left the truck running and they settled in, not knowing exactly what they were waiting for or how long they might be there.

"What are we lookin' for Em?" Neal asked, grabbing his cup. He took a long drink and glanced in her direction.

"I don't know." She mumbled. "Something. Anything."

"So…you just want to wait around and see if anything happens?"

"I don't know what I'm looking for. I just need something." Emma took a deep breath. "Something to go on."

Neal stared blankly at her for a moment. He shook it off with a sigh and went back to watching the front of Luis Mills's restaurant. Business looked slow. Only a couple of vehicles along the street. In the past, most of the evidence they'd gathered had been during busy hours. Lunch rushes. Weekends, during heavy dinner flows when 'customers' and 'business partners' could come and go without appearing out of place or suspicious. Neal wanted to believe that his partner knew what she was doing. But after everything she'd been through, he was beginning to worry that Emma was losing her touch. He was starting to wonder if she was ever going to recover.

Just as Neal's mind had begun to wonder, something caught his attention. He sat up straight and nudged his best friends arm.

"I think we've got something." He said.

They watched as a black BMW pulled to the curb in front of the restaurant. After a moment, they saw the passenger window come down. No one was getting out. A second later, the front door of the restaurant opened and a petite brunette walked out and approached the car with a long, thick, white cylinder in hand. Neal glanced over at his partner, noticing the strange look on her face.

"Isn't that the Mills girl you took home that one night?" he asked.

"Yeah. It is." Emma took a deep breath.

"So they're just passing off goods in the middle of the street now?" He asked, reaching for the gear shifter. "Maybe we should pick 'em both up and see what's going on. The family knows the FBI has been watching them."

Emma reached for Neal's hand, stopping him. "Wait." She said. "We have plenty of photographs of transactions just like this one. Why haven't they picked anyone up before?"

"I don't know, Em. Does it matter?" He was confused. "The boss wants progress… let's give him progress."

"Just wait, Neal." She snapped at him, immediately regretting it. "Sorry. This is what I came for. Let's just wait. I think I'm coming up with a plan."

"A plan?"

"Yeah. Just take me home. Let me get some things together and I'll drop by the office in a little while." She spoke in an even tone.

"Swear to me you'll show your face and I'll drop the whole subject." Neal assured her and she knew he meant it.

"I swear." Emma held up her hand dramatically and crossed her heart.

**. . .**

As promised, Emma showed up at the office several hours later. She took a direct path to Neal's cubicle and stuck her head around the corner, causing him to jump.

"All work and no play, makes Neal a dull boy." She said in a taunting voice.

He smiled. "You know it. Dull as hell."

"Hey, so, would you mind if I borrow all the files on the Mills family members?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah sure." He replied, opening the top drawer of the file cabinet closest to his leg. "I thought you had a copy of all of these."

"I do." She smiled. "I just want to compare and make sure I have everything. I'm not sure I have the file on the Mills girls' parents."

Neal passed the thick stack of folders and paperwork off to his partner. He knew she was up to something, but it seemed as though she was getting back into her job. It left him with mixed emotions. His best friend had never been so secretive before.

_Things have changed, Neal. _ He thought to himself. _Just because she's getting back into her job doesn't mean she's going to do things like she used to. True. But that doesn't mean I have to like it._

"Are you back?" Emma asked, staring blankly at her partner. She'd lost him after he handed the files to her and wasn't sure where he'd went. "I mean…that looked like a good trip, but-"

"Yeah," he shook his head. "I'm good. Sorry. Just thinking."

"I'm gonna take off."

"Swan!" He threw his head back. "You said-"

"I said I'd show my face. I showed my face." She threw up her free hand as she walked away. "I'll call you!"

"Right." He mumbled, shaking it off. He knew he had to give her time. But how long was long enough?

**. . .**

Emma crammed the files into a slim back pack she used to carry things when she was on her bike. Instead of wearing it like she should, she strapped the bag onto the passenger seat, under a cargo net meant to hold things tightly to the bike. It was going on four in the afternoon and she was supposed to be meeting Regina at six for dinner. Climbing onto the bike, she took off, heading straight for home.

She knew she would have to shower and change quickly if she was going to make it on time. Emma didn't like to be rushed and going into the office had really put a cramp in her plan. Of course, seeing Regina walking out of Mills Cafe with a mysterious cylinder in her hand hadn't helped the situation either. It left her wondering if she should call and cancel their plans for the evening. More importantly it left her wondering if she had finally lost her mind.

No. She hadn't lost her mind. Emma knew that for a fact. She'd spent three years feeling that way. But she didn't anymore.

**. . .**

Showered and changed, Emma stopped just short of the front door. She was doing a last minute check in front of the mirror and decided to make a change. Reaching for the hook under the mirror, she grabbed a set of keys thatshe rarely used anymore. Back-tracking through the house, she went through the kitchen to a door that led to the garage. She paused as the door closed behind her, staring down the car that sat in front of her. Emma took a deep breath and walked slowly around the vehicle giving it a once over. She ran her hand from the front drivers' side headlight, up the hood and over the mirror, stopping on the door handle.

Another deep breath.

After Amanda left, Emma had traded her car in for something sporty. She didn't want to be reminded of Amanda every time she looked at the little yellow VW Bug. The car had belonged to Emma and after they moved in together, Emma had handed the keys over to her girlfriend who preferred the sensible little car over the motorcycle Emma had insisted on buying. Everything Amanda ever did was 'sensible'. Until the day she'd decided to leave Emma. But Emma wasn't sure why she didn't drive the trade-in more. A pearl white 370z with more horsepower and extra's than one person really needed. The car was a dream. There was usually something about the motorcycle that called to her more, but tonight…tonight she was going to take the car. It had been a while. After all, it really did need a spin around the block. She opened the door and slid down into the black leather seat and enjoyed the moment. Every time driving this car was like the first time. It wrapped around her like a favorite pair of jeans, only better.

Deep breath.

Emma glanced down at her cell which she had placed in the cup holder and realized she should be going. She pushed the button on the dash and smiled as the engine rumbled to life and settled into a quiet hum.

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**CHAPTER 8**

Forty-five minutes later she was knocking on Regina's door. As usual the door flew open and she was greeted with a smile. Followed by a hug. And a much needed kiss.

Emma pulled back to look at the other woman, offering her a warm smile.

"I missed you." Regina said, pulling her down for another kiss before dragging Emma down the hall. "Get inside!"

"I missed _you_." Emma said, kissing Regina once more. "So what do you have planned for us tonight?"

"Well," Regina stepped away and headed towards the kitchen. Emma took off her coat and threw it over the arm of the couch and followed her to the kitchen. "I was thinking…"

"Dangerous." Emma teased.

"I know!" Regina smiled.

"What do I smell?" Emma sniffed the air around her, eyeballing the kitchen area. "Are you...cooking?"

"Like I said, I was thinking," she continued. "About cooking for you tonight. Instead of going out? So I thought we would start off with a salad," she opened the refrigerator to reveal a bowl of salad already mixed and ready to go. "Followed by a very simple chicken pilaf, which is still cooking, accompanied with a delicious red wine and a _surprise_ for dessert."

"Mmm.. That sounds delicious. I'm starving already." Emma rubbed her stomach for emphasis. "You went all out. What's the occasion?"

Regina smiled brightly as she walked around the counter to meet Emma on the other side. Grabbing her hand, she pulled Emma towards the living room and down onto the couch next to her. They sat closely, always touching in some way.

"Does there have to be an occasion?" Regina asked. "I thought I would show off some of my other skills."

"So you've been keeping secrets?" Emma teased.

"Maybe..."

"Is there anything else I need to know about you?"

"Of course. But all in due time…" she sighed. "So. Tell me about your day? Has it been good so far?"

Emma wondered if Regina was trying to change the subject, but she didn't want to obsess over it. She didn't know for sure where things between them were headed and she definitely didn't want to taint the results with needless worries.

"I've had a pretty good day." Emma turned slightly so that she could face Regina. She liked to look at people when she talked to them. It was easier to tell what a person was thinking when she was able to watch their body language. "I had lunch with a friend and went into work for a little while. Then I took some work home with me and then…I got ready and came over here. What about you?"

"_I_ had an early lunch with my uncle, for starters. And while I was there, I met up with someone who bought one of my paintings. Then I went to the market for all the ingredients I needed to make this totally awesome meal." She took a deep breath. "And then I came home."

_Did she just say she sold a painting? _"You sold a painting today?" Emma questioned.

"Yes." She smiled, seemingly proud of herself. "Another one. But to the same guy of course. I don't know why he likes my work so much. It's kind of weird, really. But whatever. It's money."

_Maybe because it gives him an excuse to show up for other business transactions?_ Emma thought to herself. It was a shame to see her work going someplace where it probably wasn't being fully appreciated. She wondered if the artwork ever saw the light of day once she handed it over to them. Maybe. But unfortunately she would probably never know.

**. . .**

Emma sighed heavily, pushing her plate towards the middle of the table. She watched as Regina gently dabbed at her mouth with a napkin, both of their plates empty. Dinner had been more than good and Emma was stuffed. If only she hadn't eaten two helpings of salad.

"Dinner was fabulous, Regina. Thank you."

"I'm glad you liked it." She smiled.

"Have you ever thought about trying to have your own show?" Emma asked, changing the subject. Her mind still focused on Regina's paintings. "I'm certain there are plenty of galleries that would be more than happy to fight over you."

"I don't know." Regina looked down at her empty plate. She was still clueless as to just how good her work really was. "I've never even considered it. I don't exactly show it to people."

"Then how are you selling it?"

"My uncle. He's always going on to people, telling them about me and how great he thinks I am. When I started sending him pictures on his cell phone, he started shopping it around for me behind my back." Regina laughed. "I thought he just wanted to see what I was doing."

"Maybe you should consider trying to get a showing." Emma suggested. "You have no idea how good you are. And…I know some people. I could give you names if you decide to look into it."

"Thank you." She blushed. "That means a lot…"

They were both quiet for several minutes, letting their food settle and thinking about their conversation. Emma knew that something more had been going on and now she had her proof. Proof that may not be good enough to use as evidence, but something she had witnessed with her own eyes and heard with her own ears. Regina was clean, just like she'd thought all along.

"Didn't you mention something about dessert?"

"I knew you wouldn't forget!" Regina poked at her playfully. "Let me clean all this up and we'll move on to round three."

Regina headed to the kitchen with an armful of things from the table. Emma was right behind her, hands full as well. When Regina turned back to grab another armful, she was surprised to see her standing there.

"You didn't think I was going to just sit and watch you clean up after you did all the cooking, did you?"

"You don't have to help." She shook her head, unloading everything into the sink and placing the proper items back into the refrigerator. She took the things from Emma as well. "But thank you. Tonight is about me treating you. Now, go sit down on the couch and I will bring the dessert to you."

**. . .**

"Chocolate covered strawberries?" Emma mumbled through a full mouth. "You really are too good to me."

Regina smiled, happy to know that the other woman was enjoying herself. She wanted to spoil her. Make her comfortable. Turn her on. And a sensuous dessert was going to be just the trick. Regina leaned towards the table, reaching for another strawberry. She dipped it in the bowl of whipped cream and brought it back to the couch, headed for Emma's mouth.

"Does feeding them to you make them taste better?" Regina smiled. But there was something more to it this time. Something in her eyes sent a bolt of energy straight through Emma's body.

"Yes." Emma responded weakly, swallowing the lump that was forming in her throat.

Regina touched the chocolate covered fruit to Emma's lips and she opened her mouth to take a bite. The juices were dripping down her chin, but Regina was quick to remove it with a kiss. Suddenly she was feeling warm and it wasn't for lack of air conditioning. Emma knew this feeling well. It happened every time they were together and it was getting harder to fight. Or maybe it was just that she didn't _want_ to fight it anymore.

"Good." Regina licked her lips, watching Emma chew and swallow the last bite she'd been given. "I was hopeful."

Emma watched helplessly as Regina reached out to run her hands down the front of Emma's shirt. Regina moved, standing up briefly before turning to face the other woman. Emma sat looking up at her as Regina climbed back onto the couch, straddling both of her legs and pressing heavily into the blonde beneath her.

"What are you doing?"

"Did you get enough dessert?" Regina asked, ignoring the question. Her voice low and her tone provocative.

"I'm getting the feeling that's a trick question." She answered, looking up to meet her eyes.

Regina leaned in, placing her hands on either side of Emma's head. Emma had never been shy _or _reserved, but Regina was important to her. They'd both been anticipating this moment for so long now that she didn't want mess it up. Everything had to be perfect.

"I'm only wondering if you've had enough."

Her tone was light, but the way the words rolled off Regina's tongue made Emma's heart race. The adrenaline was flowing and suddenly she wasn't quite sure what to do with it. Did she push Regina away again? Tell her no, not yet? If not now, when _would_ the time be right? Never?

_No. Now._

Emma seized the moment and captured Regina's mouth with her own. Her hands feeling their way up the smaller woman's back. Her fingers coming to a rest and tangling in the wavy blonde hair. Emma kissed her with purpose. Pressing their mouths together, teasing Regina's lips with her own. Emma's tongue snaked out, barely catching soft lips. Regina moaned. Her breathing was becoming ragged and deep.

Taking Emma's face in her hands, Regina kissed her again, feverishly and for several moments before pulling away. A low, sensual, growl escaped her lips. She stood. Taking Emma's hand, Regina pulled her from the couch. Their eyes met and neither of them moved. Their breathing was shallow and both knew what the other was feeling. This was it. Regina took a step back. Then another. With each step she urged Emma to follow her up the stairs. Silently Regina was hoping that at any moment Emma would take control of the situation and give her what she so desperately wanted.

And she did. Never taking her eyes off of the smaller woman, Emma found herself lost in the chocolate brown pools before her. When Regina stopped, having reached her destination, Emma moved in closer. She slipped her hand, the one still clasped with Regina's, around her own waist, encouraging Regina to let her hands roam. Emma tilted Regina's chin, pulling her in for another kiss.

Just as their lips were about to touch, Regina turned the tables and flicked her tongue lightly across Emma's lips. She pulled back, looking up into her eyes as if to ask if what she had done was acceptable. Emma could only smile and remind herself to take things slow.

"It's time..." Regina whispered, nodding her head. On the outside she appeared calm and collected. Inside she was begging. Softly, she brushed her cheek against Emma's. Regina loved the way the other woman's skin felt against her own. Something about the contact intensified her emotions. Sparked. Turned her on. "I need to be close to you. I need to feel you."

Emma's heart was in her throat. She wanted more than anything to be close to this woman in every way imaginable. And knowing that Regina's expectations would be high, Emma fully intended to make this night a memorable one.

"Please."

Kissing her softly, Emma found the hem of Regina's shirt and lifted. Pulling it up and over her head, she dropped it to the floor next to their feet. Another kiss. Warm and wet. Tongues sliding over each other. Teeth nibbling on delicate lips. All the while Emma's hands undid the smaller woman's belt. Then the button of her jeans. Before she could remove them, Emma was stopped by wandering hands underneath her own shirt which she allowed Regina to remove. Silently she reminded herself to go slow.

They continued to undress each other until they were down to their last two articles of clothing. Emma was pleased to see that Regina was wearing a simple black bra and matching black lace panties. The way the thin lacey band rested on her hips lit Emma's imagination on fire but she remained focused on the task at hand.

"Lay down." Emma instructed in a whispered voice and followed Regina onto the bed. She watched as the younger woman crawled toward her pillows, taking notice of her lightly tanned skin, the gentle curve of her hip and the way her lacey thong disappeared between her firmly rounded cheeks.

Emma's tongue slipped out to wet her dry lips as she watched the other woman with an appreciative gaze. Following Regina, she stretched out next to her and pulled her onto her side so that they were facing each other. Emma allowed her eyes to roam and found her hand caressing the soft skin beneath her fingertips, stopping at the clasp of her bra. With a quick squeeze, the material was unhooked and fell loose in the front, just as she had intended. Emma felt Regina gasp lightly.

It was all the encouragement she needed. She gently pushed Regina back down onto the bed and positioned herself above her. Removing the material in her way, Emma tossed the garment off of the bed and returned her attention to the small mounds of flesh beneath her. Emma softly licked her lips, lowering her mouth to the hardened nipples before her. She first took one into her mouth and then the other, teasing relentlessly with her tongue, occasionally nipping and sucking her way around the firm and darkened tips.

Regina's back arched from the bed, pushing her breasts closer to the woman above her. She'd waited so long to feel Emma's mouth on her sensitive skin. Nothing had ever felt quite so good. Cupping Emma's face in her hands, she pulled the other woman back up to meet her eyes. They stared at each other for a long moment.

"I love you, Emma." Regina spoke softly, needing to say the words _before_ they went any further.

Emma's heart skipped a beat then. Until that moment, she had never entertained the idea that someone could ever make her feel the way she was feeling right now. Something about this woman made her feel whole.

"I love _you_, Regina."

Regina lay there helplessly beneath the other woman, her body on fire as Emma kissed her everywhere. Slowly making her way down, she stopped when she reached the thin lacey material that covered Regina's hips. Emma ran her hands down the younger woman's sides, stopping to slip her fingers under the edge of her panties. Both women held their breath as Emma slid the material down her legs, tossing them aside as well.

She lifted Regina's leg, placing light kisses on her foot, up her leg, past her knee and working her way back up until she was face to face with her once more. Emma slipped an arm under Regina's back, pulling her close. With her free hand, she caressed the soft skin beneath her fingertips. It only took a nudge of encouragement for Regina to open up to her, granting Emma the entrance she was seeking.

"You're so wet…" Emma whispered against Regina's mouth as her fingers began their gentle exploration.

Regina moaned as she lay there beneath Emma, feeling her touch. She found it almost impossible to be still. But it was so easy to enjoy. Everything with Emma was easy. This moment in particular which she had waited so long for. She had all but begged for it so many times before. But Emma had made her wait. And Regina had a feeling that the wait was going to be more than worth it.

She gasped lightly. A sharp intake of breath as she felt Emma enter her for the first time, filling her completely and she knew that nothing could be more perfect. Her body arched and she wrapped her arms around the woman above her, pulling her closer. She couldn't get close enough.

The small, almost inaudible, sounds of pleasure coming from the woman in her arms were proving to turn Emma on more. Staying focused was becoming a task. She wanted to lose herself in Regina; could feel the world slipping away as she pushed deeper into the warm silky wetness she'd discovered.

Emma leaned in, brushing her cheek against Regina's, feeling her soft skin. Taking in her scent. Memorizing every possibly sensation. Emma's eyes fluttered, closing for a brief moment. It was almost too much. Feeling Regina squeezing her fingers. Her arms wrapped around Emma's back and she raked her nails against her skin. Their actions became faster. More fevered. Regina's body began to rock and Emma knew that she was close, waiting only for the right moment to push her over the edge. Leaning down, she flicked Regina's nipple with her tongue before catching it gently between her teeth.

A sharp sensation shot through Regina's body and her world began to spin.

**. . .**

"Welcome back," Emma smiled, hovering above Regina, who she believed had passed out momentarily.

"Mmm," Regina produced a low growl of pleasure. Her face flushed, she smiled. "Hi."

"Hi." She whispered in return.

"That was...more amazing than I imagined. And believe me I've imagined it a lot." Regina told Emma, still speaking in a hushed tone as if anything louder would break the spell they were under. Emma averted her eyes, feeling overwhelmed by the compliment.

"I try. And I'm glad I lived up to your expectations." She finally responded. Making eye contact once more, she captured Regina's lips and distracted her with a kiss as she slowly slid her fingers free of Regina's tight embrace.

Emma pulled her close, their bodies entwined, not wanting to let go. She knew that she would have to. Emma still wasn't ready to stay the night. As impersonal as she knew it would be to leave, there were still so many wounds that had yet to heal. Little did she know, Regina understood.

"Stay with me until I fall asleep?" She mumbled sleepily, her eyes already drifting shut.

**. . .**

The sun had been down for hours. The sky was dark and it was a rare occurrence to be able to see the stars in the sky. Tonight wasn't one of those nights and Emma found herself speeding down a long stretch of open road. As promised, she had stayed with Regina until she had fallen asleep. With nowhere in particular to go, she just needed to drive. Needed to clear her head. Emma had wanted to stay. But staying would cement things. It would cross a line that she had drawn after Amanda left. Maybe one day.

She easily resisted the urge to take in the all too familiar scenery, choosing instead to focus on the rapidly passing lines of the deserted road. Eventually she would turn around. But for now, Emma headed towards the National Harbor. A place she knew well, it was quiet and dark, but more importantly it was mostly empty at night. It would remain that way until the early morning hours came and people would start showing up to take out their boats or to get in some early morning shopping.

On National Harbor Boulevard, Emma followed the soft right hand curve and drove through the roundabout without a single yield. This late at night, there was never any reason. Another block down, she took a left turn and headed toward the Central Park. At the last moment, she pulled the car over to the side of the road, coming to a stop under one of the many brightly lit street lamps. Killing the engine with one hand, she retrieved her cell with the other. Dialing a number she knew well, Emma waited patiently for an answer. She had bosses. Several in fact. But she always found it easier to just go as high up as she could get away with and lately that meant dealing with Assistant Director Ragan. Besides all that, he seemed to have a special interest in the Mills case.

"Swan…You better have a damn good reason for waking me up _again_ in the middle of the night." Her boss grumbled on the other end of the line.

"I know, sir. But I really need to talk to you. It's about Regina." She said in a rush, hoping he wouldn't explode or hang up on her.

"Who?" He was clearly confused.

"Mills's niece, sir. I have substantial reason to believe she's clueless." Emma explained. "She has no idea what a creep her Uncle is. She doesn't know anything about what he's involved in."

"I don't give a damn _what_ her story is, Swan." Ragan's voice boomed through the line. "We've got a case to close, do you hear me? I'm tired of dealing with it!"

"Sir." The pleading in Emma's voice was clear. "If you would just listen, you'd know I'm right about this. There are circumstances that-"

"It's three in the morning and you're testing my patience, Swan." He warned. "Now I don't care what you do to get your information, on my time _or_ yours. But you start letting personal bullshit cloud your judgment and we're gonna have problems. I'm tellin' you. You're pressing your luck Swan. The entire purpose of this investigation is to take down that family and whoever is involved with them."

"Sir!" Emma raised her voice. "Mills doesn't want her involved. He's got people everywhere, going out of their way to keep her clean."

"Do your job, Swan and I'll do mine. I better start seeing results." He demanded. "Are we clear?"

Before she could respond, the line went dead. The only thing she had just accomplished was to make things worse.

"_Damnit_!" Emma yelled and clenched her phone, resisting the urge to throw it against the dash. Instead she took a deep breath and climbed out of the car. She found herself pacing, frustrated and clueless about what to do. "There has to be something…" she mumbled to herself.

Emma ran her hands over her face, exhaustion beginning to catch up with her. Getting back into the car, she took off, still not ready to give in and head home just yet. She navigated her way back to the main road and as soon as she pulled out, a set of headlights appeared in the rearview mirror. Emma knew immediately that something wasn't right. The harbor was patrolled regularly, so there was never anyone around in the middle of the night except for stragglers leaving the local bars. And they were almost always drunk and leaving in a cab. Emma knew this because it was a location frequently used by herself and other Agents to meet informants. And she certainly didn't remember seeing anyone when she had pulled in beforehand.

_What the hell? _Emma thought to herself. What she did know was that she wouldn't be going home any time soon. Not when she was being followed. Unless going home was the best idea. If she allowed the suspicious vehicle to follow her home, they would have no other choice than to move on.

**. . .**

Once she reached her driveway and pulled the Z back into the garage, Emma hit the button to close the door and ran into the house quickly to make sure the vehicle wasn't going to hang around. Peeking through the front window she caught the vehicle just before it disappeared out of sight. A black non-descript sedan.

"Well that narrows it down." Emma mumbled to herself. Digging her phone out of her front pocket, she pulled it out to check the time. It was three a.m. There was no way she would be able to sleep now. Right now the only thing she wanted to do was hold Regina in her arms again. Lighting up her phone once more, she made a decision. Clicking on the familiar icon, she selected Regina's name and began to type out a message.

"_I know it's late…but I was hopeful you were awake?"_

Emma took a deep breath and pressed the send button, surprised when not a full minute later, her phone was vibrating in her hand.

"_Been awake since you left. I can't seem to sleep. Come back to me."_

Emma smiled to herself. Just what she'd needed to hear. So she replied, _"On my way."_

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**CHAPTER 9**

Around eleven the following morning Emma pulled into the parking garage of the J. Edgar Hoover building where she worked. Home of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Sliding off of her motorcycle, Emma headed for the entrance, taking her helmet off as she walked. Under normal circumstances she would have left it with the bike. But today she didn't have time to stand around. Emma was pissed. Walking through the door, she flashed her I.D. to the guard on duty, even though she'd known him since she first started her job there. It was protocol for anyone who walked through the door to show their identification.

Once she was past security Emma picked up her pace to a near run and caught the first elevator pushing the button for the fifth floor. She tapped her foot impatiently during the slow ride and when it came to a stop she was pushing her way through the doors before they were barely open. Emma wasn't happy and anyone she passed could tell by the look on her face. Stalking down the hallway she reached the door to her boss's office and shoved it open. She didn't even bother to knock. Luckily he was alone. Slamming the door behind her, Emma threw her helmet into a chair and came to a stop directly in front of his desk.

"Why are you having me followed?"

He looked up and responded calmly. "Excuse me?"

"You're seriously going to act like you don't know what I'm talking about?" She asked. Annoyance prevalent in her voice. "There was a car on my ass all night after you hung up on me. And it followed me _all_ the way home."

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about, Swan. You have some nerve coming in here accusing me of _any_thing. And not that I really need to explain myself to you, but let me make this clear, my men have enough things to do as it is, without having to take the time to babysit you in the middle of the night! So what you're telling me right now is that _someone_ is on to you for hanging around that woman. Maybe I should be talking to your supervisor?" Ragan continued his rant, tearing into Emma without remorse. "All I need is for this case to get blown all to hell because you can't keep it in your pants! And please spare me the 'I'm offended' routine, Swan because I know you better than that."

Emma stepped back calmly. She couldn't argue this time the comment about her personal habits or the idea that someone else had been following her. He had to be right. Someone had to be on to her. There was no other explanation. Furthermore, she found herself wondering if he was just throwing verbal punches or if he actually knew that she had been seeing Mills's niece. The look on her face must have conveyed more than she realized because her boss spoke again before she could think of anything to say.

"I know exactly what you've been up to, Swan." He started. "If you're standing there thinking that I don't know what my agents are doing on a daily basis, you're in for one hell of a surprise. So sit down and take a deep breath before I fire your ass or have you thrown in jail just for the fun of it."

Emma sat down, her mind still in a daze.

"I think you need a break, Swan. This has gone on for too long." He held a hand up, silencing Emma before she could get a word in. "You need a break. You know it. I know it. Everyone in the department knows it."

"With all due respect, sir, you can't take me off of this case." Had she been anyone else, Emma would have been begging her boss. But that was never going to happen. The fact of the matter was that he actually could take her off the case. It was like they were dead in the water. They hadn't made any progress in months. It was almost as if that family knew exactly when and where not to be. Emma's mind was racing and she could hear her boss talking, but she wasn't listening. Her thoughts had taken over at the moment and now she was beginning to ou'll do what I say."

"I'm the only one who's going to get that close to the family without going undercover and you _know_ an undercover relationship takes way too long to build to start now." Emma said evenly. On the inside she was beginning to feel the heat rise.

Ragan scoffed at her then. "What? Bedding the closest thing we have to a weak link in that family suddenly qualifies you?" He laughed haughtily. Emma could feel the blood rushing to her face. "If that's what it takes to get close to that family, or information out of that woman, I could've put any one of my men on this and things would be going a hell of a lot better than they are right now."

Emma felt an outburst bubbling to the surface. How dare he talk that way about Regina? How dare he be so arrogant? So disgustingly sexist and small-minded. Until now she had considered Ragan to be a fair man. Understanding and supportive. But now. Now she was seeing a whole new side. And that side was making her sick.

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Apparently you're too emotionally involved to know what _you're_ talking about, Swan. I've had enough of your antics. I've put up with your unconventional methods because you're a good agent and we've never had a problem. But now? Your little stunts are beginning to push my buttons." He paused. Emma watched as he clenched and unclenched his jaw. She knew he was deciding whether or not to say what he clearly wanted to say. The question was, did she even want to hear it? More calmly he spoke again. "Swan, I realize the past few years have been rough for you. But it's time you start thinking about whether or not this is still the job for you. Ever since-"

"Don't you _dare_ bring that up." Emma hissed at him, standing from her chair. "You have _no right_!"

"It's already done, Emma." The use of her name was enough to make her realize that the Assistant Director thought he was doing what was best for her. But that didn't mean she had to like it. And it most certainly didn't mean she had to listen.

She jerked her helmet out of the other chair and turned to look him in the eye. "This is bullshit and you know it."

"Life is _full_ of disappointments, Swan." He responded as she started out of the office. "You should take this time to decide whether or not this is still the job for you. Your immediate supervisor will be finding you some paperwork to deal with. Can you handle that? Or are you gonna go green on me and start a 'Save the Trees' foundation?"

"Fuck you," She mumbled low enough for him not to hear as she turned her back to him. She paused in the doorway as he opened his mouth again.

"While I'm on a roll here, let me add that you are to have no further contact with that woman." Just as she was about to protest, he stopped her with a hand once more. "That's an order. And it's for your own good. And if I find out otherwise…"

"You can't expect me to just drop this." She turned, door still in hand. "I already have an established relatio-"

"Out of my office, Emma. Now."

"Don't call me that." She snapped at him.

"I'm sorry. Does your little girlfriend call you by your first name?"

Where was this coming from? Her boss had never been cruel. So why now? What had happened to bring all of this on? Storming out of the office without responding, Emma nearly bowled someone over in her rush. Not caring, she was still on her way when she felt a firm grip catch her by the wrist. Neal. When she turned back to him, a menacing look marring her normally gorgeous features, Neal let her go.

"What's eatin' you?" He asked, just as another of their co-workers walked by.

"Her girlfriend!" The guy commented rudely. And laughed to his self.

"Oh fuck off, Jones." Emma sniped without giving him a passing glance.

"Hey! What's going on, Em?" Neal ignored both of them.

"Ragan just suspended me from the case." She answered through clenched teeth.

"He _what_?"

Jones came strolling by again and stopped to interrupt their conversation once more. "She's out, I'm in. Looks like we might be working together." His tone was smug and Neal didn't like it one bit. Like hell he would be working with that half-cocked rookie. "Assistant Director Ragan seems to think I've got a little more…potential, these days."

"Great." Neal mumbled as he watched Jones walk away. When he turned back to speak to his best friend, Emma was half way down the hall. He took off after her. "Swan, wait up."

"I can't believe he replaced me with that asshole! That weasel sits in this Gods forsaken office filing papers all day and suddenly he's qualified to head out into the field and take this case to the bank. I swear to the Gods if he goes near her…" Emma trailed off, cringing at the thought and fighting back tears of anger and frustration.

"The guys an idiot, Em. He's just a brown-nosing rookie looking to get some recognition. We were all, that rookie once, remember? Ragan is just trying to make himself look good, so he picks someone he knows won't ask questions. Someone he knows will just do what he tells them to." Neal was attempting to calm Emma down. Instead, the wheels were turning in her head. She knew something wasn't right. "So he's gonna send Jones into the field and let him bring in whoever he wants for questioning, just to watch that family squirm. We haven't gotten anywhere in months. What makes you think he's going to either?"

A look of panic crossed Emma's face.

"What?"

"Jones will go straight for Regina." She answered. "He can't bring her in here. She doesn't have a clue what's going on."

"Regina? Regina Mills? That girl you drove home from the bar? The one we were watching _just_ yesterday?" Neal needed to make sure they were on the same page. Why was Emma getting so bent out of shape over this girl? "Why wouldn't Jones bring her in for some questioning? You said you weren't getting anywhere with her. Maybe someone else should try."

Neal had no idea that his best friend had been seeing Regina since the night she'd taken her home. Emma had left him under the impression that she had only crossed paths with her once or twice and attempted to feel her out for information.

"She's clueless Neal. She's innocent and I'm the only one who sees it."

"You're kidding right? You don't really believe that? You've seen the pictures Em. You've read the files. The evidence is there. We _watched_ her make an exchange with our own eyes. That entire family is involved. But she's the one they have making exchanges. It only makes sense that they would want to question her." Neal reasoned with her, hoping for a response that wouldn't make his best friend sound like a nutcase. "Em, why did Ragan pull you off of this case?"

The rookie Jones walked by just as Neal had asked.

"Somebody couldn't keep their clothes on." He chirped in a sing-song voice.

"Hey man," Neal had finally had enough and snatched the guy up by the collar of his shirt. "One more word out of you and I'm going to _let_ her beat the crap out of you. Don't you have some _mail_ to deliver?"

At Jones's look of horror, Neal released him and turned back to his best friend, a demanding look on his face. "What the hell is he talking about?"

"I _really_ don't need this from you, too." Emma walked down the hall and jabbed the button to catch the next elevator out of the office. The doors opened almost immediately. Neal followed her into the cramped box and neither of them spoke until it hit the bottom floor and everyone filed out. As they stepped out, Emma turned. Pointing to a stack of files Neal had forgotten he'd been carrying she asked, "You got work to do? Or you up for some food?"

Emma's stomach was growling. If she was going to tell him everything, she was going to do it over some food.

Neal glanced down at the folders. "These can wait."

"Let's walk. We can grab a bite at the place around the corner."

"Fine with me. I'll just drop these off at my truck." He motioned with the stack of folders.

**. . .**

They made the short trip around the block and got seated immediately. Neal figured Emma wanted to talk and it was good a time as any. They waited for the server to take their orders and as soon as the guy was gone, Neal spoke up.

"So are you going to answer my question?" He watched his friend close as she sat back in her chair and regarded him carefully. "Why'd he take you off of the case?"

"I was out riding around late last night and I thought Ragan was having me tailed." She sighed heavily. "But now I'm not so sure who it was. I drove around for an hour after I figured out someone was following me. The same car was on my ass the whole time. And no telling how long before I noticed. I had just been on the phone arguing with Ragan before. So I just assumed."

The two sat in silence for a moment.

"When I came in this morning, I marched into his office and accused him of having me followed. He gets pissed and tells me I'm going to be doing paperwork for the rest of my natural life and that I should use that time to decide if I'd like to keep my job. I don't think he would have lied. I made him mad, but at the same time, it was like I just handed him my ass and said 'guess what, someone is onto me'."

"Could be one of Mills' guys. Anyone could have seen us sitting outside that restaurant." Neal reasoned. He was quiet for a minute, giving the whole situation some thought. "You're one of the best, Em."

"Why do I feel a 'but' in there?"

"But you must have done something to set him off." He finished. "Or he never would have thought about doing what he did."

"I don't know, Neal. For some reason he didn't want me working on this case to begin with." Emma rested her arms on the table in front of her. "He went from letting me get away with everything, to riding my ass _for_ everything. And now this."

"He has bosses too, Em. They're probably on him like he's been on us. It took us a year and a lot of ass-kissing to get put on this case and now we've been on it for two years now. And he's been after that family for a lot longer than that. This is way before us." Neal attempted to reason with her. "So what's the deal with this girl?"

"She's not a girl, Neal. She's a woman." Emma corrected him.

"So what's the deal with this woman?" He reworded the question.

"After Ragan hung up on me, I realized I was being followed. I went to her place after I lost the car." Emma took a deep breath, purposely leaving out the part where she had been there all night to begin with. Even she was beginning to get frustrated with herself for getting so mixed up in the whole thing. But it was like she couldn't help herself. It was like she never even had a choice. "If it was one of Mills' guys, there was probably another car watching Regina's place which means they know _something_ is going on."

"Why are you working this girl- excuse me, this woman on your own time, Em? It's not an undercover op. Though I'm not sure why it's not. Unless there are undercovers we don't know about."

"You're the only one who doesn't get it, Neal." Emma smiled. "I think that's why I love you so much. It's like high school all over again."

"High school? What?" Neal asked, clueless. His best friend sat quietly across from him. Watching him. Waiting for the realization to set in. When it finally did, Neal looked at her like he was going to kill her. "You're _sleeping_ with her?"

No answer.

"Oh my God, Emma." Neal closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I don't know how it happened, Neal." She confessed. "I swore to myself I wasn't going to let it happen."

"Oh my God, Swan! You didn't just trip and fall into her bed! You've got to be kidding me. You picked the _wrong_ girl this time, Em. It's no wonder Ragan took you off the-"

"It's not like that with her…" she interrupted calmly.

"Look, you've done some messed up shit since-"

"Don't say it!" Emma warned, pointing a finger and pinned him with a look that could kill. Right now she was more than willing to punch her best friend in the face if he continued to take their conversation in the direction he had started. She was sick of people trying to bring up the past. Neal clenched his teeth together for a moment.

"You've done some messed up stuff, Em. But never this." Neal shook his head. "Never with a case."

Neither of them spoke as the server appeared with their food. Neal couldn't bring himself to touch his plate at the moment. Emma ignored his obvious distaste for what she was telling him and dug in. She knew he wasn't going to let it go, so Emma enjoyed the moment of peace and took the time to consider all her options for the questions she knew he was going to have. Neal just sat there staring at her.

"How the hell can you eat?"

"Easy. I'm starving."

After several minutes had ticked by, Neal finally started picking at his plate. The idea that his best friend had finally crossed the invisible line that was there for every agent was really getting to him. Through everything, Emma had always maintained a clear head and had never done anything that had the potential to jeopardize her job. Now this. He couldn't figure out what she was thinking. Had she finally lost her mind? No. Neal knew better. So what was happening? What could possibly make her let things get this far.

"Talk to me, Em." Neal finally spoke. Sitting his fork down, he looked at her thoughtfully. For the moment the agent was gone and Neal found his self slipping back into best friend mode. "What's going on?"

"There are too many things that just aren't adding up, Neal." Emma began; glad to see that her best friend had finally regained control of his brain. "She's either an Oscar Winning actress or she is completely clueless about her family. And if I'm not on this case, there's no way I can keep her safe without making things worse." She paused. "Ragan told me to stay away from her and that if I didn't…well, you know the drill. But anyway, with that idiot Jones running around like he's in a damn television show, there's no telling what will happen."

Neal continued to listen intently.

"Ragan refuses to listen to me. Getting to that family through Regina is never gonna happen. It's just not. Luis Mills has gone to great lengths to keep her out of the loop. And from what she's told me, he's seriously protective. If anyone goes near her, all hell will break loose."

"Okay, so what about all the evidence? What about the photos? What about that exchange yesterday?" Neal asked. "If she's not involved like the rest of the family, what do we have pictures of?"

"You're never gonna believe this." Emma shook her head and took a last bite of food before pushing the plate away. She covered the almost empty plate with her napkin, still chewing and sat back in her chair. "She's an artist, Neal. She's selling her paintings. That's what the packages and money exchange are all about."

"But those men-"

"Are involved with her uncle, yes." Emma supplied. "And if I had to really reach and throw out a guess, these guys are buying her work and using the exchange for a distraction. But she has no clue. She meets them at her uncle's restaurant to sell the painting and it looks like they're doing business with her. Then when she leaves, that's when the real business happens. And that doesn't even touch the exchanges we _don't_ see, that are going on while we're distracted by the art business."

"But wait. If Mills doesn't want her involved, then why would he let that go on?" Neal had a good point. As usual, Emma had an even better answer.

"I don't think they ever considered that anyone watching wouldn't go with the simple conclusion that it really was just artwork. They probably assumed that if the FBI was digging into their family, they would find out that she was an artist. That all she was doing was selling her artwork." She said. "But somehow, we missed it. She doesn't show her work. No one knows what she does. So instead, we made it way more complicated than it was. We all just assumed that they were passing off something illegal. Which is _not_ what Mills ever intended. I think he actually believed that it looked exactly like what it was. But Regina doesn't exactly advertise her talent. So they just drew more attention to their selves. Mills tried to encourage it, but Regina doesn't want anything to do with going legit and selling her work. So Mills shops it around to his associates."

"Wow. Okay." Neal took a deep breath and shoved his half-eaten meal away. His best friend and partner had just given him a world of new information to think about. "You're right Em. Ragan is never gonna go for that. But I believe you. It really does make some sense. They were just so eager to get dirt on this guy that it looked all wrong. It's like everyone's gotten sloppy."

Emma nodded in agreement.

"So what's the plan? What do you want to do?"

"There's not much I _can_ do, Neal." She told him. "But I'm sure as hell not going to just roll over and let it go. I care about her and I can't let them drag her down. She's a good person."

"Em." Neal said. His tone serious. "Maybe you should let me handle this."

"I can't Neal. I can't just sit back and hope that everything works out. So please don't treat me like your partner right now. I need my best friend."

"What do you think I'm doing, Em?" Neal tried to remain calm, even though it was the exact opposite of how he was really feeling. "I don't want to see you get fired. I don't want to see you get hurt again. And I sure as hell don't want to see my best friend _dead_! But I'm telling you, if you mess with these people, with or without the protection of your badge, that's exactly what's going to happen. They have _killed_ people, Em. And the only reason they haven't been charged for it is because they've never been able to pin it on a single person and it wouldn't take down the entire family business."

"We'll talk about this later." Emma stood. Digging money out of her front pocket, she took out enough to cover the entire bill, tossed it to the table and grabbed her helmet from the ground where she'd left it sitting while they ate. "I've gotta go see Regina."

"Great, Swan." Neal mumbled then yelled after her as she took off. "I'll call you later."

Emma threw her hand up in acknowledgement and kept walking. She had to get back to her bike. She needed to drive. Needed to think. Taking off on her bike was the only way that was going to happen.

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	10. Chapter 10

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**CHAPTER 10**

It only took her a few minutes to get back to the parking garage and then she was gone. It was almost three by the time she made the final turn that would take her to the familiar front stoop where she'd sat with Regina the first night they'd met. Emma had driven for a couple hours. She spent the entire time fighting with herself about what she was going to do. Break it off. Don't break it off. Lose her job. Attempt to keep Regina safe from a distance. If she chose to walk away, would Regina understand? Or would she hate Emma forever?

_She's going to hate me. She'll never be able to understand. Especially after last night. I should have put a stop to it. Before… _Emma thought to herself as she knocked the kick-stand into place and settled the bike into position. _Unless you just tell her everything._ She threw her right leg over the back side of the bike and took a deep breath as she pulled off her helmet. _Who are you kidding? You'd be signing your own death certificate._ She ran a hand through her hair to straighten it out.

There was no way for Regina to understand because Emma couldn't tell her about her job. She wouldn't be able to explain. Regina would never buy a bullshit story about why she was breaking up with her because she knew better. She knew that there was something between them. Something greater than their selves. Emma knew that she couldn't just disappear. No explanation was sure to hurt her even more. It would leave a hole in both of them. Regina deserved better from her than that. Emma didn't know why, but she had never felt more whole than she did when she and Regina were together. When they were apart, it was like a piece of her soul was missing. _Why_?

This was going to hurt.

Another deep breath.

Emma took the front steps slowly. Just as she raised her hand to knock, the door swung open. It seemed to happen that way quite frequently. The woman on the other side stopped in her tracks and they both smiled. Emma noted the purse over Regina's shoulder but before she could speak Regina wrapped her arms around Emma's neck and pulled her in for a slow kiss. Emma's somber demeanor went unnoticed. But it couldn't stop the rush of images from flooding her mind as the kiss brought back memories from the previous night.

_Now or never…_ "You were leaving." Emma stated. "I should have called."

Glancing down, Regina sighed. A smile creeping up on her lips. "I was," she answered. "But you know…you _could_ come with me." She stepped past Emma, closing the door behind her. She didn't wait for an answer, but instead took Emma's hand. "Let's go!"

She allowed Regina to lead the way. Emma was slightly nervous about being seen with her in public now that she was in trouble with her boss. Not to mention that it would only put off what she had come here to do. To tell Regina that they couldn't see each other anymore. It wasn't at all what Emma wanted. Her job was her life, but in the short few weeks she had known her, Regina had quickly been moving into that spot. And now she was being forced to choose. But Emma knew that ultimately she couldn't choose Regina without choosing her job first. She needed her job to find out what was really going on and help keep Regina safe. It was the only way.

"So. Where are we going?"

"To my Uncle's restaurant." She answered. "And please tell me you're on your bike!"

"It's a beautiful day. Of course I am." Emma said, gesturing just down the block and trying not to smile.

She was failing miserably. She gave in. Emma couldn't help but smile at the look of excitement on Regina's face. Emma caught her mind drifting as she watched the other woman. She wondered how anyone could suspect her of being anything but innocent. For someone who was linked to so many bad people, Regina seemed to be aware of so little. As they made their way down the steps Emma could feel the aura of excitement rolling off the woman whose hand was tightly gripping her own. Regina approached the bike with Emma in tow.

Emma laughed.

She owed herself that much. Didn't she? To enjoy the last little while that she had to spend with this woman who had completely stolen her heart. If she didn't allow herself that small privilege Emma was afraid that she might start thinking about what she was inevitably going to do. Right now, she wanted to leave that thought far behind.

Emma took the helmet off of the clip under the passenger seat and turned to Regina and smiled. For a moment Emma wondered why she hadn't gotten an extra helmet for Regina. It didn't matter now though. "You get to wear the head protection."

Regina accepted the solid black helmet and turned it over in her hands a couple times, clearly debating on something.

"And what about you?"

"Don't worry about me." Emma smiled reassuringly. Regardless of her position of authority, Emma always managed to break the law. And she very rarely hesitated to ignore the helmet law in particular. Slipping out of her red leather jacket, she motioned for Regina to turn around and helped her put it on. There was something about the sight of this petite woman wearing her jacket that warmed Emma's heart. However simple an action, it was something she'd never allowed anyone to do before. And here she was, offering it up without a second thought. It was just a little too big. Long in the arms. Loose in the shoulders. Why did she have to give her up? Why couldn't things be easier for them?

"Ready?" Emma forced a smile. Regina nodded.

**. . .**

Much like the first night Emma had driven Regina home from the bar, she took her time. She didn't want the ride to end. The feel of Regina's arms wrapped tightly around her was something Emma wasn't quite sure she was prepared to give up. A part of Emma was begging her to take the nearest road out of town and never look back. Just run away with Regina and leave the rest of the corrupt world behind. Would anyone miss them? Maybe. But Emma didn't care. Knowing that in a couple of hours this woman holding onto her so tightly would probably never want to speak to her again, was urging her to slow even more. Emma intentionally made several wrong turns just to make the trip last a little longer. Regina was none the wiser. Or maybe she just didn't care. Either way, she held on to the woman controlling the motorcycle and took in the city around her.

Once they arrived, Regina was the first to slide off the bike. Emma however, wasn't in such a hurry. Regina stood, running her fingers through her hair as Emma finally dismounted the bike. There they stood. On the curb in front of a small family owned and operated Mexican restaurant called Mills Cafe. An appropriate name considering the owners last name was Mills. Predictable, but appropriate. Emma had never been inside the small restaurant but had driven by it more times than she could count. And not to mention the many stake-outs she had been involved in. Never in her life had Emma imagined she'd be walking in with the owners niece on her arm.

Taking Emma's hand, Regina led her through the front door and glanced over her shoulder with a reassuring smile. Emma didn't return the sentiment. Instead she found herself wondering if the place was bugged and if it was, whether or not her boss was going to break down the door when he found out she was sitting inside.

"I hope you're hungry. Uncle Luis never lets me come in here without eating before I leave."

"Actually, I just…had lunch with a friend." Emma said. But the words were lost as Regina walked towards the counter greeting all of the people with faces familiar to her. Even some that weren't.

If Regina had heard her, she didn't acknowledge it. Emma could tell by the way Regina was carrying herself and smiling that she felt at home in Luis Mills' place of business. Probably a result of spending more than her fair share of her teenage years there. Feeling a little nervous, Emma stepped closer to Regina and took both of her hands from behind. Amazing. A touch, such a simple sentiment could be so calming. As Emma looked around, her eyes settled on one customer in particular. He looked up in time for their eyes to meet. Jones. If it were possible Emma's head would have exploded. Though anyone who might have been looking wouldn't have even noticed the exchange. Jones knew he was going to catch hell and it wouldn't be from his boss. Pretending to ignore the fact that he was there, Emma leaned in to interrupt the conversation Regina was having with the woman behind the counter.

"I need to step outside for a minute. I'll be right back." She said quietly into Regina's ear.

Kissing her lightly on the cheek Emma let go of her hands and turned. She locked eyes with Jones once more as she walked through the front door. Emma made every attempt to look as menacing as possible. By the look on his face, her point had been well made. The minute she was back on the sidewalk Emma pulled out her phone and dialed her best friend's number. He answered quickly and barely got out a hello before Emma cut him off.

"Neal. I need you to do me a favor." Emma said, attempting to keep her voice down even though she was feeling extremely anxious.

Looking up, she saw Jones quickly look away from her. She wanted to march back inside and jerk the rookie out of his seat. Showing him how she was feeling at this particular moment was fast becoming a high priority on her list of things to do. But she knew just how bad an idea that would be right now. Instead she directed her attention back to the phone.

"Okay." Neal answered evenly. "What's going on?"

"I'm starting to wonder if Regina's place is bugged. And I don't recall that ever being approved." She said. "Do you think you could find it if you went over there?"

"You're getting paranoid Swan. And for all we know it could be _any_where in her place." A pause. "If there even is a bug. Not to mention, Ragan will have your ass handed to you if he had one planted and we remove the thing."

"Neal…Please be my best friend right now. I'm not asking you to remove anything. I just need to know." Emma took a deep breath. She didn't want to have to tell him. The more Neal knew, the more he became an accomplice to her defiant behavior. _Do something._ "I'm down here at Mills' restaurant with Regina. We-"

"Damnit Em!" Neal interrupted.

"No! Not 'Damnit Em'. Just listen to me, Neal." Emma snapped at him but tried to keep her voice low. "We walked in and there sits none other than Rookie of the Year. Why is he here?"

"I don't know the answer to that, Swan." Neal sighed to his self. He was going to regret it, but it came out anyway. "See if you can keep her busy for a couple hours. I'll let you know if something turns up."

Emma relayed Regina's address to Neal and thanked him before they hung up. As she shoved the phone back into her pocket, Emma looked up to see Jones making his way to the counter where Regina was still standing. Emma stood there watching him for a moment. When his hand snaked out touching Regina lightly on the arm, Emma had seen enough. She saw him speaking as she walked with purpose back through the front door. Emma could tell by the way Regina stepped back that Jones was making her uncomfortable. She had seen enough and wasn't going to give him an inch. If he wanted to play, she wasn't going to make it easy for him.

Emma approached Regina exactly the way she would have whether or not Jones was present. She didn't care if he knew that she wasn't supposed to be there. Emma knew that she made him nervous and used it to her advantage. Taking Regina's hands from behind, she leaned in close. Her stance a protective one. She could see that underneath his cool exterior that Jones was worried.

"Is there a problem?" Emma looked Jones in the eye, though her question was for Regina. Regina only squeezed her hands.

"I- I was just leaving." He stuttered nervously, tossing his money onto the counter.

"Weird." Regina mumbled as the three watched him leave quickly.

A moment later the woman behind the counter spoke up.

"That guy was in here the other day. Askin' all sorts of weird questions about Uncle Luis."

"What do you think he wanted?" Emma asked suddenly. She found herself wondering how long this had been going on behind her back. Asking questions about a suspect in his own place of business just wasn't the way they did things.

"I thought he might'a been a cop or somethin'. Uncle Luis said not to worry about it." She explained.

Emma figured she must be in her mid-twenties and considering she kept referring to Mills as her Uncle that made her Regina's cousin. She looked nothing like Regina, though. The exact opposite of her to be exact. Though they were the same height, the younger woman's features were distinctly Hispanic, right down to her long jet black hair. And the fact that she kept going on about Jones and the oddity of the entire situation, Emma was guessing that she knew just as much as Regina did about the mess going on behind the scenes. What was it about Mills that spurred him to leave the women in his family out of the loop? _I thought this was a 'family' business? Or maybe he just doesn't want her to find out what really happened to her parents. _Emma filed that thought away for later consideration.

"You know," Regina began. "That happened a couple months ago too. I came by to meet some guy wanting to buy one of my pieces. He kept asking a lot of questions and then left without buying the painting. I assumed Uncle Luis knew him, but when I asked about it, he said he didn't know the guy."

Emma almost choked on her own tongue.

_Son of a bitch._

That one innocent little statement meant that all along Ragan had known that Regina had just been a cover. And now she was suddenly wondering why her boss had left everyone under him going after the same things day in and day out, when he had to have known all along that Regina had nothing to do with Mills' bad business. Emma didn't understand why he would have put either of them in the position of possibly backing Luis Mills into a corner by means of his niece. It was not the smartest thing in the world to do.

He had connections all over the city. Mills practically _owned_ the city. And there was no telling _who_ he owned, right along with it. Emma was nervous. With good reason. If Luis Mills had any idea who she was, Emma knew that she could be in trouble. And if Mills even remotely believed that Regina was in any danger, all bets were going to be off. The case would become anyone's game. Emma just hoped that she would be able to play it. And live.

**Emma knew now that the only way she could protect Regina, was from a distance. Something was going on with her boss and the issues in the case had just gotten more confusing. If she could figure out what exactly was going on, maybe one day Regina would be able to forgive her and allow her to come home.**

**_Home? _****Emma questioned herself. Didn't they just meet? Didn't they barely know each other? Or had they known each other forever…?**

**Regardless. Emma knew what she had to do.**

**"****That must be my lovely niece I hear." A voice came from around the wall where the front counter ended. **

**A moment later, the owner of the voice came into Emma's view and she thought she was going to be sick. The distinct Hispanic accent belonged to Luis Mills. Sure. Emma was cocky when it came to her job. She had right to be. But there were some things you just didn't push your luck with and she knew that this man was one of such said things. The pictures Emma had seen before did him no justice. **

**She was surprised to find that he was a decent looking man. Luis Mills was not a tall man by any count. Next to Emma he was probably the same height as Regina. An average 5'6". A thick head of salt and pepper hair. Dressed extremely well, with impeccable manners. The way he carried his self alone was enough to command respect from anyone in the same room with him. That being said, Emma fought the urge to stiffen up and pasted on the best smile she could muster when he turned to give her his attention.**

**"****And who might this beautiful young woman be?"**

**"****Uncle Luis, this is Emma." Regina introduced her happily to her uncle, not taking her eyes from Emma's. When she finally did, Regina turned to her uncle and hugged him fiercely. **

**"****Emma?" Mills repeated once Regina had released him from her grasp. He nodded appreciatively. **

**"****Yes sir." Emma added, doing her best to be respectful and avoiding giving him her last name. **

**"****That's a good name Ms. Emma." Mills reached for Emma's hand and she allowed him to take it. He pulled it close and politely kissed the back of her fingers. Then he released it saying, "It's a pleasure to finally meet one of my niece's friends." He paused, glancing at Regina. "She never brings anyone around."**

Emma watched Regina from the corner of her eye. Regina cast her eyes downward, smiling at the thought that her uncle didn't seem to realize that there was something more between the two of them. But Luis Mills was a smart man and knew immediately that his niece cared for this woman.

"So," The man clapped his hands together. "What would you ladies like for lunch today?"

"Surprise me!" Regina barely contained her enthusiasm.

"And for you Ms. Emma?"

Emma knew that for all intents and purposes Luis Mills was doing his best to play the part of the perfect uncle. But Emma was still nervous. Regina looked at her expectantly and Emma knew that was her cue to respond.

"I- I'm sorry. I just…I had lunch with a friend before I met up with Regina." Emma's tone was regretful. "If I had known-"

"Ah. You kids these days. You do not eat near enough. But that's alright. There's always the next time." Mills reassured her with a hearty chuckle. Then to his niece, "You be sure to bring this one _back_ Regina. She looks like a keeper."

Both Regina and Emma felt a slight flush creeping onto their faces as they watched Luis retreat to the back once more. Regina smiled up at Emma, slipping her hand into the grasp of the other woman's. "A keeper, huh?"

If Emma hadn't actually known who this man was, she might have easily bought into the act he was putting on for Regina's sake. She was thankful that wasn't the case.

**. . .**

Making his way through the kitchen, Luis Mills told the chef what to cook and to make haste. Heading further into the kitchen, Mills stepped into his office where a younger Hispanic man sat waiting patiently.

"Everything alright boss?" he asked, standing while Luis made his way around his desk to sit. And once he did, the other man remained standing as if awaiting orders.

"That Agent, Swan, is out there with my niece." He said evenly. The act he'd been putting on for his niece was gone. "You've been on her like I asked?"

"Yes sir." He nodded eagerly and shrugged his shoulders. Clasping his hands together he continued. "Looks like she just has the hots for Regina. Far as I can tell she ain't been up t' nothin' suspicious."

"Her presence with my niece is suspicious! Regina did not just accidently meet an FBI Agent. You better keep an eye on her Manny. I don't want my little brother's only daughter mixed up in my business, you hear?" Luis awaited confirmation which he quickly received in the form of more eager nodding. "If that agent finds out. If she starts digging and putting pieces together, we're going to have a real problem on our hands with her. You wouldn't want that, would you?"

"No sir. No."

Mills dismissed the man then. Once the door was closed tightly behind him, the older man opened a drawer on his desk and pulled out a file. When he opened the folder there was a sheet of paper containing personal information and a photograph stapled to the top left-hand corner. The photo…was of Emma Swan.

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	11. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**CHAPTER 11**

After their lunch Emma took Regina for a ride around the city. She was prolonging the inevitable even though Regina was none the wiser. It was better that way. Emma knew that she could get away with riding Regina around for hours. It seemed she enjoyed the riding as much as Emma did. Just one more thing on the list to make what she had to do, harder. But she couldn't put it off any longer and so Emma decided to make her way back to Regina's place while she was still in the right frame of mind.

The street was crowded when they returned, forcing Emma to park her bike half a block away. As the climbed off the motorcycle and headed towards Regina's house, Emma looked up to see Neal coming down the sidewalk. She faltered slightly but quickly regained her composure. As they passed each other, Neal smiled and gave a slight nod to Regina who smiled in return. Emma did the same to him. Neal shook his head casually, letting Emma know that he hadn't found anything and kept walking.

Unlocking the door, Regina turned to speak as she stepped across the threshold. Emma was still standing just outside the door, her arm outstretched to where her fingers remained laced together with the other woman's. Regina tugged gently.

"What's the matter?" Regina smiled, despite her confusion. "Comin' in?"

"Regina, I-" The words caught in Emma's throat, nearly choking her. She felt sick. "We need to talk."

Regina stepped closer to Emma and casually leaned against the doorframe. Her pulse was racing. Immediately she knew something wasn't right, but somehow remained nonchalant. "Okay. About what?"

"Well…It's about my job, really. It's just- things are getting a little hectic and something has come up that- that's going to have me really busy for a little while and-" Emma paused, noticing the sudden change in Regina's expression. Her body growing rigid and defensive. Emma knew her story was weak. If it sounded bad to her, she could only imagine how it must sound to the woman standing in front of her. "And I-"

"And what?"

"And it's just really important that I focus my attention on my job. I-"

"I don't understand. I thought this was good. You and m-"

"It is, Regina. But I want to be fair to you and I just…I'm not gonna be very available and you deserve better than that."

"That's such bullshit, Emma. If you don't want to see me or- or whatever, then just tell me. But don't stand there and lie to me and blame it on your job." She said stiffly. Her voice rising in pitch, she added, "Whatever it is you do."

"It's not-"

"What DO you do, Emma? Or are you never going to tell me?" Regina asked evenly. "Do you even work for an 'investigation company'?"

"I _can't_ talk about it, Regina. I'm sorry." Emma paused, a pleading look in her eyes. "It's not my choice…."

"That's right. Everything with you is this big secret. I spilled my life to you. Everything. And I get _nothing_ in return, Emma." Regina yelled, stepping out onto the front stoop. "Nothing! Your life is this big secret and you choose not to let anyone be a part of it! And I don't understand why!"

Emma found a spot on the ground to stare at as Regina continued. She knew the younger woman was right and with every word she found herself fighting harder not to just tell Regina everything.

"I gave myself to you." She said weakly, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. "No one else ever mattered. But then I met you. Everything about you has consumed my life, Emma." Regina said, the words still coming out weakly and tears threatening to fall. "I care about you. Doesn't what I want matter?" She asked. "But no matter how close you are, you always keep yourself at arm's length. I thought maybe eventually you would let me in. But you haven't. And I still keep trying." She took another deep breath, waiting for a response that she knew she wouldn't get. Regina laid her hand on Emma's chest, hoping the contact would make a difference. "Maybe someday you will. I just hope it's not too late when you do."

"Regina. I'm sorry. I am." Emma said softly, stepping forward.

"Don't." Regina pushed and stepped away, her arm still outstretched between them. She was beginning to feel angry, a natural defense to the pain in her chest. "Please. Just- …don't."

"Okay," Emma nodded, hanging her head.

"I don't think I can be near someone right now, who doesn't trust me." She added, causing Emma to look up at her once more.

Emma took a deep breath, fighting the emotions threatening to overwhelm her. "That's _not_-"

"Save it, Emma." Regina shook her head, before running her hands over her face and through her hair.

Emma watched silently as Regina stood there with her head in her hands. She wanted more than anything to reach out to her, but Emma knew it wasn't a good idea. And she found herself wondering whether or not she should have ever given Regina a ride home that first night. If she had just listened to her best friend, then she could have spared this woman the pain she was inflicting on her now.

"You should go…"

Regina sighed as she turned her back to Emma and closed the front door without a second look. As soon as she heard the deafening sound of the door clicking shut, Regina leaned back against the wall and slid to the floor, burying her face in her knees. The pain in her chest was heavy and she felt sick. Where did things go wrong? Regina was clueless. Before she could compose herself, the tears began to flow heavily down her face, her body shaking as she sobbed helplessly.

"Damnit," Emma sighed, still standing in front of Regina's door. There was no sense in standing around hoping. She knew Regina wasn't going to open it again. Hoping that she would open the door and tell Emma that she understood was pointless.

Turning, Emma hurried down stairs, needing to get away before she changed her mind and begged Regina to forget everything she'd just said. Needing to be anywhere but where she was, Emma knew just what she needed and headed down the sidewalk toward her motorcycle. When she drew close, she looked up to find someone perched on the motorcycle as if it were their own.

"Can I _help_ you?" She yelled him as she quickened her step to reach the bike. The guy didn't move. He simply sat there smoking his cigarette and staring at her with indifference. He looked to be around Emma's age. Muscular build. Buzzed haircut. Emma knew right away that he worked for someone and felt certain she could guess who. "Are you deaf or just stupid? Get the hell off my motorcycle."

The guy took a long drag off his cigarette before standing up and throwing his leg over the back of the bike. He was tall. Especially compared to Emma's average 5'7". But she would not be intimidated. By his height _or_ his thuggish presence. She had dealt with plenty of men just like him, in her time with the police force and the FBI. He worked for someone, it didn't matter who. It still made him a 'yes-man' and if he was there to inflict pain or harm of any kind, he wouldn't have been sitting there waiting on her like the lap dog she knew he was. She watched as he dusted invisible lint from his clothes, which happened to be all black; and flick his cigarette to the ground.

"I don't know who-"

"Give it a break already," he said in an annoyed tone, waving a hand at her. His accent was thick, but his English was perfect. "I didn't hurt your ride."

"Who are you? I've got somewhere to be. Tell me what you want, so I can get on with my life."

"You Feds are all alike." He laughed at her. "You ask too many questions. Demand answers. _Stick your noses where they don't belong_."

Emma rolled her eyes and brushed past him, to climb onto her bike, choosing to ignore the fact that he knew who she was and what she did for a living. "You have no idea who you're dealing with." She warned him.

"I know more about you than you think." He looked her dead in the eyes. "Stay away from Regina." He warned, pointing a finger at her, causing Emma to pause as she was reaching for the key to start her bike. "She doesn't need you or any of your people messing with her head. She's one of the good ones. Innocent. Get it?"

"Oh I 'get it', alright." Emma came off the motorcycle again, stepping into his personal space. She stood chest to chest with the stranger for what seemed like forever. They were both sizing each other up. Neither appeared to be intimidated by the other. She knew now who he worked for. "I don't know what you _think_ you know about who I am or what I do, but I think you should mind your own business."

He simply smirked at her. Then, shaking his head, he turned to walk away.

"I'm going to take you down." She told him. It wasn't a threat; she meant it. "All of you." But he didn't falter in his steps. Just kept walking. "And as far as Regina's concerned, don't worry about her. I know she doesn't know the truth about who you people really are."

He paused then and turned to look back at her one last time. Emma's eyes spoke much larger volumes than her words. He believed her. Believed she knew Regina was ignorant to her uncle's affairs. He watched as she started her bike and pulled away. As soon as Emma was out of sight, he pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number.

**. . .**

"Hey, what's goin' on?" Neal asked, immediately concerned when his best friend walked through his front door. Her lack of response was enough for him to know that she had something on her mind or that something was going on. And lately he wasn't sure what exactly _was_ going on with his best friend. He remained sitting on his bar stool watching her pace for a moment before speaking up again. "Stop already. You're gonna wear a hole in my floor."

"I've got to tell her, Neal. She has to know."

"Whoa, hey…Em." Neal jumped up and moved into her path. Bracing her shoulders with both hands. "Ragan will have your ass. Your job. Your _everything_, if you do that. She could tell them everything and blow us out of the water." He paused, giving her a minute to swallow what he was saying. "You gotta think about this. About the consequences."

"What consequences, Neal?" She shrugged. Her attitude was telling Neal just how messed up his friend was feeling. "I don't have anything left to lose. Again."

"Em. Where is she?" Neal pulled back, a concerned look on his face.

"At home where I left her, I suppose." She shrugged, sighing heavily. Neal directed her to the couch then, sitting them both down. "When I told her that I couldn't talk to her about my job, she told me to leave."

"You can't involve her in this. You can't tell her anything, Emma." Neal ran his hands over his face. "You can't…you have no idea what those people are capable of."

"They have no idea what _I_ am capable of."

Neal was mildly concerned by the malicious tone in her voice. The two friends sat in silence for several moments; Neal trying to figure out what was going on with his best friend. Emma, trying to come up with a way to make Neal understand how she was feeling.

"If it was any other job…I'd say great. Go for it." Neal paused. He shook his head, sighing heavily. "They think she's a runner, Em. They think she is the go-between for her uncle and all the people he deals with. Whether she _is_ or _isn't_…doesn't really matter right now."

"I feel something for her Neal. I didn't mean to." Emma admitted while Neal sat quietly next to her. "Last night when I went back to her place, we- we were lying in her bed and…Regina had fallen asleep, but I couldn't. I- all I wanted to do was lay there and watch her. So I did… I just laid there until the sun came up and held her."

Neal sat back on the couch, clearly surprised by the emotion in her voice. This was not his best friend. Not the same one he had two months ago. This was the friend he remembered from so long ago. Before-

"I think I…I'm in love with her, Neal." But love wasn't even the word that described what she was feeling. Emma had loved before. This was something else. "When she moves, I move. When she breathes, I breathe. I feel everything she feels. I know when she's close without opening my eyes. It's so damn intense it makes me sick to my stomach to be away from her."

Emma looked at him and Neal didn't know what to tell her. On one hand he was glad to see Emma starting to feel something for someone again. On the other he was worried that she would only end up hurt again. After a few moments of silence, Neal spoke as he continued to stare at the floor.

"As an Agent and your partner, I'm telling you that you cannot tell Regina _any_thing about what's going on, Swan." Neal looked up then and put his hand on her leg. "But as your best friend, I understand that you've gotta do what you've got to do and…I won't stand in your way."

Emma nodded, taking it all in.

"I will say though, that I really think you should back off and wait it out a little. Give her some space. Keep an eye on her. If you really feel this way about her…she probably feels the same way about you. And if she's everything you say she is…she's probably gonna forgive you."

"I know." She agreed. "It's just so hard Neal. When I look at her there's just…something different. Stronger. I can't stand being away from her. It literally hurts."

"I believe you, Em." And he did. Changing the subject, "So what do you have planned for the rest of the day?"

"Nothing. Just figured I'd take off and spend the rest of the afternoon at home. Maybe look at the case files again. I've got to figure this mess out. Nothing I tell Ragan seems to faze him. It's like all he sees is the prize and doesn't care how he gets to it. He's never been like this. I try to explain to him what I'm seeing and he doesn't believe it. And he doesn't want me asking questions. I don't know what else to do. There's something shady going on."

That reminded Neal. "Yeah, so tell me more about the photos and Regina's paintings?"

"Her paintings…" Emma responded, her mind immediately changing course, though she wasn't quite sure why they were having the conversation again. "All that damn _evidence_ we supposedly have of her passing off 'goods' to 'buyers', is her artwork. The photos of her handing over cylinders or other various size packages and receiving envelopes…are her paintings!"

"So all this time the feds have been watching her and the real deals are going down somewhere else?"

"I tried to tell Ragan. He wouldn't even consider it as an option. Hell, I don't think he even _listened_ to me." Then Emma remembered suddenly her conversation with Regina from the restaurant. "And today I found out something new. When I called you because Jones was sitting in Mills' restaurant, I found out of from Regina and her cousin who works there that Jones has been in that restaurant a few times before, asking questions. And then Regina proceeds to mention that she had a meeting with a potential buyer, there at the restaurant and the guy asked a lot of strange questions and left without buying the piece he'd contacted her about."

"Wait, that would mean that someone knew that she has nothing to do with 'family business'." Neal realized.

"Exactly." Emma nodded. "Someone knew and _we_ weren't informed. We've been stuck because someone is trying to keep us confused."

"Then we need to find out where they're doing the majority of their business transactions." Neal supplied. "We've checked the bank accounts and there's never been a single wire transfer. Strictly cash deposits from Mills or one of his goons and they make it look like every bit of it is coming from the restaurant. Everything this guy does look's clean. I don't know, maybe he's not keeping all the money in the bank. Maybe he's keeping it locked up in a personal safe or something."

"He's gonna screw up, Neal." Emma said firmly. "And we'll catch him when he does."

"So why would he risk letting us believe that his niece is in on it all, if he's going out of his way to keep her out of it?" Neal questioned. "Why not try to divert the attention away from her?"

"Because he doesn't know." Emma said, a light bulb going off in her head. "Maybe he has no idea we've been on her this whole time."

"Em…I get where you're headed with that. But a man like that doesn't miss such a small detail. These people know that we're sitting a block from their establishment watching their every move." He said. "We still have no clue whose hands are in his pockets either. He knows that we sit down the street with our binoculars and telephoto lenses. And _we_ know that we're never going to directly catch him doing something out of line. It's all a big game. Going around catching all the small fish until the big fish are the only ones left." He paused. "When they're the only ones left, that's when they'll slip up."

"I know. You're right."

"I'm always right." Neal smiled. "Don't worry, Em. We'll get 'em. Like you said."

"In the meantime, Regina hates me and thinks I'm a big liar."

Neal patted her leg gently. "It'll work out.

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	12. Chapter 12

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**CHAPTER 12**

The middle of September. Emma sat quietly in her car several feet from Regina's house. It had been a couple weeks since she'd broken things off and as Neal suggested, she'd done her best to stay away and lay low. But Emma couldn't take it any longer and when she left work an hour earlier, she decided to drive by, hoping that just maybe she would catch a glimpse of Regina coming or going. Emma felt lost without her. One might go as far as to say she had almost begun to slip into a little bit of a depression. The sooner they could get this case dealt with, the sooner she would be able to beg for forgiveness and ask Regina to take her back. Until then, her only options were moping, moping and more moping. She didn't have the energy to do much else

Emma pulled her phone out to check the time. It was going on six in the evening. As luck would have it, she looked up just in time to see Regina climbing her front steps. Emma's heart skipped at the sight of the other woman and for a moment, she held her breath. By the looks of the paper bag she was carrying, it appeared that Regina had been out shopping for art supplies and suddenly it gave Emma an idea. Lighting up her phone, she unlocked it and dialed a familiar number as she watched Regina disappear into the house. Emma hit the push-to-start and the engine roared to life as she waited for the person on the other end of the line to answer. As she pulled out onto the street a woman's voice came through the line.

**. . .**

A week later. Emma was at sitting at her desk with a mountain of paperwork in front of her. Reports were not Emma's 'thing' and entering _other_ Agent's reports into the computer was, normally, completely out of the question. But as it was, her boss had given her no choice but to come into the office and stay put. Day in and day out. It had only been three weeks, but it was already old. Emma heard her phone buzzing where she had tossed it onto the desk. She sighed heavily wondering who could possibly want to talk to her, but when she saw the number on the screen, Emma scrambled to answer it.

"Ruby?" Emma asked as she put the phone to her ear. "I was beginning to wonder if I was going to hear back from you."

The woman on the other end of the line laughed lightly. "Emma. You know better. I was going to call you back regardless."

"So. What's the news?" She asked eagerly. "Did you get ahold of her?"

"Yes. I talked to your girl." The other woman smiled as she talked, though Emma couldn't see her. When Emma had called, Ruby knew that she would have to follow through. Emma Swan did not ask for favors and as it turned out, what she had called Ruby for was not a favor at all. Ruby was the head coordinator at a local art gallery, in charge of booking local artists. "Just so you know, she agreed to meet me."

"She did? When?" Emma could barely contain her enthusiasm. She may not be able to be near the woman she loved, but that wouldn't stop her from trying to do something special for her. Regina was an amazing artist and even if she didn't realize it, Emma knew the rest of the world would if only they could just get a look at her work.

"I met her this morning at her house." Ruby answered. Ruby had met Emma and Amanda years ago when they had attended an opening for a friend of theirs. Ruby had been there overseeing the show and by the end of the night had made friends with the two. She ended up dating their friend whose work she was showing and though Amanda was gone Emma had made an effort to stay in touch with Belle and Ruby who were still together. She wasn't quite as social as she used to be, but Emma wanted to be. She wanted to get back out there. She missed her friends and going places with other people. "I don't know where this woman has been hiding, Emma, but you were right. She's amazing. I've got to get her out there."

"What did she say? Is she going to let you show her work?" Emma asked. Taking a deep breath, she ran her hands through her hair. "What can I do?"

"Calm down, Em. One question at a time." Ruby assured her. "She agreed to a show. We are going to work out the details this weekend. She's going to come by the gallery Saturday morning so we can put everything into motion. You were right about her though. She has no idea how good she is."

"No. She has no clue." Emma agreed. "But I swear Ruby, she's amazing."

"I just have one question, though." Ruby said. "What's the deal with you two? If you're not trying to get into her pants and you're not together, why did you call me? What's it to you?"

Emma took a deep breath. She had hoped the other woman wouldn't ask questions. Emma wasn't much for explanations. "She's- Do I really have to explain?"

"If you expect me to call you back and give you the details about this showing, you will." Ruby smiled to herself again.

"You play dirty." Emma responded. "And I can't tell you all the details because some of them are work related! But she has no idea what I do for a living. Her family is under investigation. So you can not mention my job to her. Actually, don't talk to her about me at all. I still don't want her knowing I called you. If she asks, you-"

"Emma!" Ruby interrupted. "I already had that conversation with her. And just like you said the first time we talked, I just told her that I'd met someone she had sold some of her work to and I contacted her because I was interested in seeing more of it."

"Oh, good."

"You're not getting out of it that easy. So stop changing the subject." Ruby countered. "I still want to know why you're trying to help her out. Who is she to you?"

"I was seeing her." Emma said, though it was a major understatement. "But I had to break things off because of my job."

Ruby gasped dramatically. "Emma Swan? Dating someone? What is the world coming to?"

"You're so funny." Emma laughed sarcastically into the phone.

"I'm just surprised, Emma." Ruby was more serious this time. "I know that you haven't been serious with anyone since Amanda. This girl must really be special. So what'd you do to screw it up and how can we fix it?"

"I'm working on that." Emma assured her. "Just do your part and I'll do mine. I owe you one."

"Okay, okay. Anything I can do, consider it done. I'll call you back after she leaves the gallery tomorrow." She paused before adding, "And Emma, it's me who owes you one. This chick is gonna make me a lot of money!"

After they said their goodbyes Emma tossed her phone back onto her desk. Maybe her day wasn't going to be so bad after all.

**. . .**

"This is all very overwhelming." Regina said as she took a seat across the desk from the woman she'd met with the day before. Only a week ago, Regina had been sitting in her spare room, staring helplessly at an unfinished painting when she received a call from Ruby inquiring about her work.

"Don't worry." Ruby assured her. "Even the experienced artists get nervous when they have a showing. Besides, your work is amazing. You're going to do great."

"I'm going to take your word for it." Regina inhaled deeply, feeling slightly nauseous at the thought of sharing her work with the public. Emma had talked to her about it a time or two while they had been seeing each other, but Regina had just assumed Emma was complimenting her and encouraging her because she had cared about her. _I couldn't have been more wrong about that. _ "So, when are you thinking we should do this? How long do I have to prepare."

Ruby smiled. "Believe it or not, it just so happens that I have an artist who needed a postponement which means if we can get you in here and set up this week, we'll have your opening this coming Friday and we'll keep the work for a week if you'll allow us. Anything longer would require that I book you a little further out. It won't give me much time to advertise you, but I'm pretty sure I can drum up a decent turnout. Regardless, I think we should start slow."

Regina did her best to swallow the lump that was quickly forming in her throat. A week? Not even a week, if she had to have her work here before Friday. She rubbed her forehead with one hand and clutched her purse tightly in her lap. Ruby watched her carefully, feeling sorry for Regina, as she had dealt with so many new artists who had felt exactly the way she knew Regina was feeling right now. "H-How does this work? What do I need to do?"

"First things first, I want you to take a deep breath." Ruby leaned on her desk and tried to appear as relaxed as possible. In her experience, she'd found that the bigger deal she made out of the situation, the more nervous it made the newbies. Regina nodded and finally released the air she hadn't realized she'd been holding onto. "Second, if you can get all your work, whatever you want to show, here to me by Tuesday morning, my people will do the rest."

"You mean I have to choose what to bring you?" Regina's eyes widened and the panic came through in her voice. If she had to choose, not a single piece was going to make it to the art gallery. Ruby did her best not to smirk in amusement. She totally understood what her friend saw in this woman. "Maybe this is a bad idea. I don't need to make any money. I'm good, really."

"Regina. Honey. Don't think about it like that." Ruby spoke up, her voice calm and soothing. "Bring me everything. Everything you have available. It's not about the money. It's about showing the world Regina Mills and what she's capable of. If you happen to sell a couple of pieces, then congratulations. But you can't think about it too much or you're going to make yourself sick. Just trust me. This is all going to go off without a hitch."

"How do you know?" Regina's voice cracked. She was giving in. "Do I have to be here? I wouldn't even begin to know what to charge."

"Of course you have to be here!" Ruby explained. "You're worrying too much. Try not to think of it as a big 'to-do'. Just tell yourself that it's a social gathering. Or that you're just gathering opinions to help you perfect your talent!" She tried her best to calm the younger woman sitting across from her. "As for the pricing, my staff and I will handle that as well. You have absolutely nothing to worry about. All you have to do is get the work here and show up on opening night."

It sounded simple enough, but Regina still felt unsure. She didn't want to 'perfect her talent'. She just wanted to paint. But if she was honest with herself, a little positive attention would probably do her some good. Since the day she'd left Emma standing on her doorstep, Regina had felt lost. She didn't care whether she got out of the house or out of the bed for that matter. She hadn't been out with her friends and the painting sitting on her easel at home had been untouched for weeks now. Maybe a little distraction was exactly what she needed.

**. . .**

Emma's phone vibrated twice as she walked into her kitchen. Digging the phone from her pocket she was surprised to see a message from Ruby flashing at the top of the screen. She opened it to read, _"Friday the 28th. 7:00pm until? Casual dress. Are you going to be there or should I expect to see you lurking outside the windows?"_

_ "__Not funny. I'll be there. But I still don't want to be seen. Thanks for doing this."_

_ "__Consider us even. See you there, Em."_

Emma opened the fridge to find it empty save for a few bottled waters and an old box of leftover take-out. She sighed heavily and decided that water was her only option and quickly grabbed a bottle before letting the door swing shut. Tucking the phone back into the pocket of her sweats, Emma headed for the living room once again. It was already past noon, but still she had yet to shower and dress. Better yet, why should she bother? It wasn't as if she had anywhere to go or anyone to see. Stretching out on the couch, Emma grabbed her pillow from the coffee table where she'd last left it and wrapped herself around it. If she could just make it through the weekend, Monday would be here before she knew it and she could get back to work and not thinking about how ridiculously lonely she was without Regina in her life.

**. . .**

It was closing in on a month since Emma had been forced to break away from Regina and she hated every minute of it. The days passed and refused to get easier. Then again, Emma hadn't asked for her pain to ease. She felt like she deserved it. If she hadn't gotten involved, she wouldn't be sitting at a desk filling out paperwork all day, for other agents. If she hadn't gotten involved, maybe she could have helped to close the case by now.

If she hadn't gotten involved…she wouldn't have fallen in love.

_In love? Yes. In love. If you didn't love her, you wouldn't be so knew it the moment you met her. _ Emma argued with herself. It had become part of her daily routine. The paperwork she'd been stuck with the past few weeks had been so mindless it was all she could do to focus long enough to get it all done. But now that she had something else to think about, the anxiety she had been feeling was beginning to ease. In just four days, Regina's opening would be here. It would give Emma the chance to get close to her, even though she wouldn't be able to let Regina know she was there. Maybe she would ask Neal to go with her.

"Swan." Emma shook her head, hearing Neal's voice as he approached her desk. He looked at his watch as he came to a stop next to her chair. "Are you going to stay here all night?"

"What time is it?" She asked, grabbing her phone to check. "It's six already?"

"Yeah." He said sympathetically. Neal knew how miserable his best friend was, but there wasn't much he could do. There wasn't much either of them could do, for that matter. "Go home, Em. Get some rest."

"All I _do_ is rest, Neal." Emma huffed, slamming her file cabinet drawer closed. Shoving her chair back, she gathered up her things and stood to walk out with him.

"I know. I'm sorry."

And he was sorry. Neal knew just how hard it was for Emma to stand by and do nothing. To know nothing. He kept her filled in on the case of course, but there wasn't much to tell. They truly were getting nowhere. And he knew they would both be in trouble if he let her get involved behind their bosses back. Both were quiet as they exited the building. There wasn't really a lot to be said. Neal knew that any effort he made would be shunned. Or irritate his best friend even more. Emma hated feeling helpless and even worse, she hated pity.

As they approached their vehicles, Neal stopped just short of his truck and turned to face his partner.

"How come you've been driving that car so much lately?"

Emma shrugged and glanced at the small sports car. "It's been cold at night."

"That never bothered you before." He pointed out.

"Just need a change Neal. I'm losing my mind a little." She headed for the car feeling a little dejected. "I'll see ya later."

"Be safe, Em."

Neal watched sadly as she backed out and drove away. He missed his partner. But more importantly, he was missing his best friend.

The next morning, Neal stopped by Emma's desk first thing. Taking a seat across from her, he tossed a white paper bag onto her desk and pushed a cup of coffee her way.

"What's this?" Emma eyed her best friend suspiciously. Popping the lid off and lifting it to her lips she blew on it gently before taking a sip from the steaming cup. Neal knew she wasn't asking about the coffee, so much as why he'd brought it to her. "You must want something."

"Not at all." He sat back and laced his fingers across his mid-section. "You've been so down lately. I just thought you could use some caffeine."

Emma nodded, accepting his reason and wondering if this was the right time to ask him about the going to the opening Friday night with her. Taking another sip as she weighed her options, Emma sat the cup down and took a deep breath. "You busy Friday night?"

Neal shrugged. "Not that I know of, why? What'd you have in mind? We're not going back to that bar! The last time got you into a world of trouble apparently."

Emma stared at him blankly before deciding to ignore the last comment.

"Well," she started, "I called Ruby the other day and asked her to do me a favor."

"Ruby Lucas?" Neal questioned. He was confused for a moment before it dawned on him why she was suddenly contacting Ruby when they hadn't spoken in months. "It wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that she, oh I don't know, runs an art gallery?"

"Yeah. About that." Emma sipped her coffee. "I may or may not have sent her in Regina's direction. Ruby talked her into showing her work and the opening is Friday night at 7. I need a date."

"Is it bad that I'm not even gonna ask you why?" Neal shook his head in disbelief. "What do I wear?"

"Something casual." She smiled.

**. . .**

Friday afternoon, Regina stood in her bedroom looking in the mirror, giving herself one last chance to change clothes before she walked out the door. She wondered what Emma would have said about the dress she was wearing. Emma was always complimenting her clothes and telling her how great she looked. Where was she now when Regina needed her opinion the most? After all, wasn't it Emma who had encouraged her to show her work? And now she was going to miss it. Regina sighed heavily, not feeling too confident about the evening ahead of her. She'd never missed someone so much in her life. Not even her parents. At least she knew that they were only gone because of the accident. Not because she wasn't good enough for them.

Shaking her head Regina closed her eyes, washing the negative thoughts from her mind. Deep down she knew that it had nothing to do with her. Whatever reason Emma Swan had for running away was her problem. Not Regina's. She swallowed the lump in her throat. Blaming Emma for her own actions didn't make her feel any better either.

"Planning on standing there in front of the mirror all night?" A woman's voice broke through Regina's train of thought. "You look _amazing_! You have nothing to worry about! You're going to rock that place, Gina."

Regina turned to look at her friend. "You're the best Kathryn. I don't know what I'd do without you." She shook her head. The other woman smiled brightly at Regina who had called her and begged her to come save her from making a fashion disaster. They'd been friends since high school. "I know my hair wouldn't look this damn good without you, that's for sure!"

"Don't feed my ego. You know it gets out of hand when you do that! It'll be bad for everyone." Kathryn rolled her eyes. "That dress looks amazing on you by the way. You might as well keep it. It fits you perfectly. There's no chance it'll ever look that good on me again, after seeing it on you!"

Regina laughed, despite the gloomy thoughts in her head. "I'll never have another reason to wear it."

"And I imagine you never thought you'd have a reason to wear it in the first place!"

"You look great too, Kat." Regina complimented her, deterring the conversation away from herself. "I really appreciate you going with me tonight."

"About that." Kathryn's brow furrowed. Regina suppressed a sigh, having failed to change the direction of their conversation. "What made you ask me to come with you? You know I would have been there anyway. The last time we went out, I would have sworn that you'd been seeing someone. But you didn't mention it, so I didn't ask."

"It didn't work out." Regina said stiffly and moved to leave the room, breezing past her friend. Stopping at the top of the stairs, she turned to look at Kathryn, her features softening. "Besides. I'd rather have my best friend by my side."

That wasn't true. Regina loved Kathryn, but she wanted nothing more than to call Emma and beg her to come to the opening. Even if it was just so that she could see her for a moment.

Kathryn Nolan smiled, leaving well enough alone and joining Regina to walk down the stairs. With one last pick, she added, "A best friend would know who you were seeing!"

"A best friend would wait for a better time to talk about it!" Regina nudged her, unwilling to have a conversation about Emma right now. Never mind the fact that she didn't want to have to explain to her best friend how she'd fallen in love, with a woman no less, who had promptly put a dent in her heart. There just wasn't enough time. They had somewhere to be.

"Okay, okay." Kathryn messed with Regina's hair, fixing a loose curl before they were ready to leave. "Let's do this, chick!"

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	13. Chapter 13

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**CHAPTER 13**

"Remind me why we're here, again?" Neal asked as they approached the entrance to the gallery. Reaching for the door, he pulled it opened and gestured for Emma to step inside first. She reached for his tie and straightened it before she walked in. "I have my suspicions, but I'd like some clarification."

Emma stopped and turned as the door closed behind them. "I just want to see what Ruby managed to throw together."

Neal threw his head back and rolled his eyes. They both knew she was full of it and when he looked back down at her, he said, "It's Ruby. She could pull off hanging a potato sack on the wall and calling it the next big thing in art."

"Then stop asking me questions you know the answers to." Emma gave him a disapproving look before quickly changing the subject. "Are you sure I look okay?"

Neal gave her a once over and sighed. Emma was wearing a simple pair of black dress pants with a plain white button up dress shirt, crisply ironed and unbuttoned just low enough to show a slight hint of cleavage. She was wearing heels, though she didn't need them, which gave her just enough height to tower over Neal. "You look stunning. Can we get this over with?"

"Yes. Just keep an eye out. I don't want to run into Regina. She can't know I'm-" Emma's voice trailed off as she realized that she'd lost her best friends attention. Following his line of sight, Emma's heart skipped as she realized what he was gawking at. She stood frozen, watching as Regina sipped from a glass of wine, wrapped up in a conversation with several people gathered around her. Emma sucked in a deep breath, not realizing she'd forgotten to breathe regularly in the passing moments. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she smiled to herself as Regina laughed at something someone had said to her. Before Emma realized what was happening, Neal was shoving her around a corner, taking charge before Regina happened to glance in their direction.

"Thanks." Emma mumbled, gathering her composure.

"C'mon, let's have a look around." Neal shook his head and encouraged Emma to walk into another room that would take them further way from the woman whose work they were there to see. Just inside the small room, Neal turned to the nearest wall and began browsing the paintings hanging sporadically around the room. Emma had already seen all of them, but somehow, seeing them in a gallery under just the right lighting made it all seem surreal.

"She's good, Em." Neal nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets as he perused the work on each wall. "I don't know much about art, but...I'm impressed. Can you explain it to me? You know...since I can't _chat with the artist._"

She rolled her eyes at him then.

"I was confused when I first saw most of it. You know, because it all looks different. But then I looked into it on my own and I found out that what she's doing, some of it is photo-realistic, some of it is abstract, some of it is contemporary and some of it is graphic." Emma gestured to specific paintings that fell into each category. "But she doesn't see it that way. She just- paints what's in her head."

Neal listened intently, taking note of the tone in his best friends voice. He could tell that Emma missed the other woman greatly and it hurt his heart a little to see her dealing with the mess she'd gotten into. "Let's have a look in the next room."

Neal threw an arm over her shoulder as they strolled to the entrance of the adjacent room. Emma came to a stop as they almost bumped into a couple just as they reached the doorway. The man and woman had been talking quietly amongst themselves and hadn't seen Neal and Emma coming.

"Excuse us." The man spoke politely, holding up a hand to apologize as they all four side-stepped each other to make way. The woman smiled softly at Emma and though she returned the gesture, something inside her tingled and left her feeling like something wasn't right. They stepped further aside, allowing them to walk through and Emma followed them with her gaze as they hurried toward the front entrance.

"Em." Neal cocked his head at her, having repeated her name more than once in the last few seconds. "What's the matter? They apologized for not paying attention."

Emma looked back him then, a confused look on her face. "I don't know. They just seemed- familiar."

"Big city, Em. You could've seen them anywhere." He shrugged. Peaking around the corner, he took note of Regina entering the room they'd just left and figured he better start trying to get his best friend out of the building soon. "Who's that woman with your girl?"

"What woman?" Emma asked, immediately getting defensive at the question. Neal gestured to his right and Emma glanced around the corner of the doorway. She sighed visibly at the sight of the blonde standing next to Regina. "That's Kathryn. They've been friends since high school."

"You think she's single?"

Emma swiped at him before grabbing his arm and dragging Neal to the next doorway and out into the main room of the gallery. Just as she was about to speak, Emma jumped at having been grabbed unexpectedly by someone behind her.

"Thanks, Ruby. You saved my ass." Neal smiled at the other woman.

"Damnit. You scared the hell out of me, Ruby." Emma said in a harsh tone.

"I'm glad you could make it." She smiled, proud of herself for one-upping Emma for a change. "Don't you two clean up nice! Do you see anything you can't live without?"

Emma narrowed her eyes at the taller woman, wondering what exactly she was suggesting. Though she knew exactly what Ruby was suggesting and chose to ignore the question. "You did a great job with her work, Ruby. I can't thank you enough for pulling this off."

"Potato sack." Neal coughed behind Emma, causing her to give him a dirty look over her shoulder.

"We're about to get out of here, I think. I just wanted to see it for myself." Emma sucked in her bottom lip, biting it gently and taking in her surroundings once more. "She's amazing, isn't she?"

"Yeah, about that. You weren't kidding when you said she had no idea how good she was." Ruby gestured to the walls around her. "Did you know that she was selling these things for one and two hundred dollars a pop?"

"Wow. Really?" Emma nodded, seemingly impressed.

"No. You don't get it." Ruby corrected her then. "She almost spit a mouthful of wine on me before we opened tonight, when she saw the price listing on my desk that I drew up this week."

Emma brought back her confused face. "Well how much did you mark them up?"

"Honey, she was doing herself a _major_ disservice. This work is worth thousands." Ruby laughed at that. "It's only eight o'clock and I already have the customers to prove it."

Neal stood silently behind Emma as he listened to their conversation and stood on the lookout for the woman they were speaking about. His eyes sweeping the room like any good Agent would do. When he looked back to his right, he grabbed Emma and spun her around so that her back was to the room they'd previously exited, just in time to prevent Regina from seeing her face.

"You two should leave." Ruby said in a hushed tone. "I'll give you a call this week and let you know how the rest of the night goes!"

Emma pulled Ruby into a hug and thanked her once more before she allowed Neal to drag her out of the gallery.

As they headed to their cars, Emma thanked Neal for coming with her. She threw a hand up as he got into his truck and watched as he pulled out onto the street before heading toward her own car. When she pulled away from the curb, Emma noticed another set of headlights pulling out a few cars down the street. Considering she had been followed not too long ago, Emma was automatically suspicious. _It's probably just someone else leaving the gallery, _she told herself. Putting it out of her mind, Emma headed towards Takoma Park.

Another Friday night, home alone. She sighed to herself and reached for the dash, digging around in the glove compartment. When her hand finally settled on the item she was looking for, Emma pulled out her Ipod and plugged it into a cord below the dash. Determined to keep the thoughts of Regina away, she hit the shuffle option and turned up the volume. Before she knew it, she was pulling into her driveway. When she reached up for the controller to open the garage door, Emma saw movement in her rearview mirror and turned to see a car coming to a stop at the edge of her front yard. Immediately she grabbed her gun from her ankle holster. She sat still for a moment, watching in her mirror, but no one got out. She'd had enough. Whatever this person was up to, she was going to find out.

Emma killed the engine and stepped out of the car with purpose. Gun in hand; she marched towards the car at the road. But before she could get there the engine went dead and someone opened the door, stepping out of the car with their hands held up, letting her know that they meant no harm. The man from the gallery that she and Neal had bumped into.

Stopping immediately, Emma stood defensively pointing her gun at him. "What do you want? Who are you?"

"Emma? Are you…Emma Swan?" He asked calmly, hands still up and in front of his self. Emma was distracted for a moment as she noticed the woman getting out of the passenger side.

"Who's asking?" She asked. Her voice was stern.

"We know who you are." The woman spoke up, not giving the man a chance to answer her questions. "We need to talk to you. We were hoping that you might be willing to help us."

The woman joined her husband. Emma took notice that the couple was still wearing the same clothes from the gallery. The woman in a not-so-casual evening gown and the man in a three piece suit. Emma didn't know who they were, but something about them was familiar and leaving her with the feeling that maybe she shouldn't be pointing her weapon at them.

"You can put your weapon down." The woman smiled politely. Her voice was soothing. "We aren't here to cause trouble. It's about Regina."

Emma's stomach jumped into her throat and she loosened her grip on the gun. She lowered it cautiously and relaxed her stance. All three of them remained standing at a safe distance from each other.

"Why do you look familiar? And I'm not talking about bumping into you at the gallery. Who are you?" She asked again. What she was thinking couldn't be possible. "One or both of you should start talking!"

The older woman cleared her throat. She was a nice looking woman. Her features, though worn from time, were softened and friendly. She was easily as old as Emma's mother. And Emma couldn't tell what color her eyes were in the dark of the evening, but did take notice that her hair was almost blonde. The man's however, was a light brown and didn't really suit him at all. Finally she spoke up. "Would it be too bold to ask you to invite us in?"

Emma exhaled deeply, weighing her options. Deciding that it was best that her neighbors not see her pointing a gun at two people in her driveway, she relented. "Do not try anything funny." As she turned to walk towards the house she added, "I have a gun."

"Duly noted." The man laughed nervously.

When they reached the front door, Emma was immediately regretting her decision to allow them into her home. She never had anyone over and though she was not a messy person by nature, her house had not been well tended to in the recent weeks since her separation from Regina. She hadn't felt like doing much of anything all. Least of all cleaning. As they stepped into the house, she nervously started gathering her files and stacking them into a haphazard pile on the ottoman she used as an impromptu coffee table-slash-work desk. She gathered several empty water bottles and stuffed them into a small trashcan next to the couch.

"I apologize for the mess." She said, gesturing for them to take a seat on the couch as she sat in a recliner across from them. "I'm not used to having guests."

"We understand Ms. Swan." The woman started. "We-"

"About that. Why do you know who I am and what do you know about Regina?"

Her tone was serious and the couple could tell that she still refused to let her guard down completely. Emma watched as they both glanced at each other for a long moment. Finally, the man nodded and took his wife's hand. Apparently an attempt at a comforting gesture. The woman turned back to Emma.

"My name is Diana and this is my husband Nathan." She swallowed visibly. "At least, that's who we are now. You may be more familiar with the names Cora and Henry. We-"

"That's not possible." Emma stood quickly, pointing a finger in their direction. She began to pace almost immediately before stopping herself just as quickly. She turned to look at the two them. "Regina's parents _died_! In a car accident. Sixteen years ago! Who are you?"

"I know this must be confusing." The man held out his hand, hoping that Emma would remain calm. "You have to understand. Everything happened so fast the night of the accident. We weren't given any choices. We-"

"You LEFT your daughter!" Emma snapped but didn't raise her voice. She turned to face them. "She was thirteen years old and you LEFT her with that man! You should have done something!"

Henry, or Nathan, whichever he wanted to call his self, hung his head at her outburst. Emma pinned him with a stare, wondering what could have possibly stopped them from coming back for their daughter. Of course she hadn't known Regina as a child, nor did Emma have a child of her own. But that didn't change the fact that she didn't understand how they could keep their selves away from their daughter for sixteen years.

"You missed everything." She shook her head at them. "You don't know your own daughter."

"I know this must be hard for you to understand." Henry-Nathan spoke again. "But I would be willing to bet that you know just how dangerous my brother can be."

Emma eyed him skeptically, still unsure of how they knew anything about her or what she did for a living. "Go on."

His wife, Cora or Diana put her hand on his arm, letting him know that she wanted to speak again. "After the accident, we were both severely hurt. The FBI swooped in and took control of everything. They made it look like we had died and they didn't let anyone see our bodies. They had fake documents that appeared as though we had drawn up a will. They took care of all the details. They just left behind one thing."

"Regina." Emma filled in the blank almost sarcastically.

"The family got there so fast that the feds didn't make it to Regina in time to make her disappear with us." She began to tear up. "They've kept us informed. But...it was never the same."

"Why are you here now? Why didn't you just reveal yourselves to her at the show?" Emma questioned, taking a seat once more. "Why come to me?"

"The people who have been our contacts in the Bureau, they said you've been watching out for her. Keeping her safe." Henry-Nathan said.

Emma ran her hands over her face and through her hair. "Something like that."

They were all silent for a moment, the tension in the room not quite as thick as it had been to start with. Diana watched Emma intently, trying to judge the facial expressions she was making at the floor. The way she fidgeted when they talked about Regina left Diana wondering if what she was thinking was true.

"You love her." She spoke softly. "You're in love with our daughter?"

Diana's husband and Emma both looked quickly in her direction. And then he back at Emma just as she opened her mouth to speak. "I-"

"It's quite alright." Diana was quick to interrupt. "All we have ever wanted is for Regina to be happy. And loved. You seem rather prepared for both of those things. The way you get defensive when you speak about her. Like you're trying to protect her. That's important. Why were you not together at her show tonight?"

"I've been having my own issues, with the Bureau." Emma responded, though it was a huge understatement. "I got myself into some trouble with my boss. And Regina of course doesn't know what I do for a living. Between living a double life and trying to keep her safe, I overstepped my boundaries with my boss and was told to stay away from her. But I guess you can see that I haven't fully obeyed that command. I'm not a dog after all."

"I see," Diana nodded. "Now we just have to find a way to approach Regina without her going to her Uncle about all of it. That's why we came to you."

Emma took a deep breath. Suddenly the pieces were coming together. She stared at them in disbelief. "You want _me_ to tell her?" She pointed to herself. "I doubt that she'll even speak to me again. Let alone believe anything I say! And what if I do go to her? What then? You've been in witness protection for a reason. If your brother finds out you're here, that you're alive, you could completely ruin what little of a case we have. Clearly the FBI has been after your brother for a long time. But even the information you turned over wasn't enough. So why now?"

"Our contacts seem to think that someone on the inside is helping him slip through the cracks. What I gave them should have been more than enough to get him off the streets." Regina's father answered. "We were hoping that maybe you could take her away for a little while. Maybe it would make Luis get sloppy."

"That's not an option." Emma shook her head. "I can't risk my job or anyone coming after her, like he would surely do." She thought about her options for a moment. "If I tell her that you're alive. If I bring her to you, she'll have to know everything. And I can't say how she's going to handle it. She could be angry at you."

"We're willing to try." Regina's mother responded quickly.

"I'm going to need a way to contact you." Emma told them. "And I can't promise that it will be tomorrow. All I can do is go to her and see if she'll hear me out. But I'll let you know something as soon as I do."

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	14. Chapter 14

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**CHAPTER 14**

The next morning, showered and dressed, Emma pulled her bike out of the garage and took off down the road. The event that had occurred the previous evening was weighing heavily on her. The information she'd been given, though confusing and tough to deal with, was also a miracle in disguise. Emma believed that everything happened for a reason. Every moment, every occurrence that had happened in her life, had led her to this very day and what she was about to have to do.

After what seemed like the longest ride in her entire life, Emma rolled to a stop and put both feet on the ground to brace the motorcycle. She sat back and looked up at the familiar row of brownstones in front of her. Regina's house sat tucked neatly in the middle. But today, something was different. Emma looked up at the large windows where the curtains were always open, only to find them closed off. She wondered briefly if maybe the other woman was sleeping off her evening at the gallery. She was new to that world after all and the place had been well covered with potential buyers and people who just enjoyed looking at art. But it was nearly noon. Regina never slept in. Emma surveyed the area, noticing Regina's vintage Mercedes parked across the street.

Very rarely did the woman walk anywhere. And the thought deserved repeating that even more rarely were her windows ever closed, blocking out the world. That wasn't like Regina. It wasn't like her at all and Emma recalled the conversation she'd had with Regina about why her windows were always open night and day. She'd told Emma that it helped her to clear her mind. That it was the outside world that fed her creativity and allowed her to paint so freely.

Something was wrong.

Emma killed the engine of the motorcycle and quickly removed her helmet. She took the front stairs two at a time. Reaching the door, Emma knocked, pounding a little harder than she'd intended to. She stepped back when the door opened and Regina wasn't on the other side. Immediately she recognized the man as being the same one she'd found sitting on her bike so many weeks ago. Surprised, but determined to keep her cool, Emma held her hands clenched at her sides.

"I believe you've been asked to stay away." The guy spoke calmly, but Emma could tell by looking at his eyes that he wanted to say more.

"I need to talk to her." Emma demanded, feeling the agent in her starting to come through. "Let me in."

"I'm afraid I can't do that. So you see, you can leave or I can escort you to the sidewalk." His tone was too even for Emma's taste. It only served to anger her more. The man leaned out the door, closer to her face. "Either way, you're not getting' in. She doesn't need to hear anything you've got to say."

Emma looked past him, ignoring what _he_ had to say and saw Regina approaching the door.

"Regina, I'm sorry. You have to believe me." Emma started, her words rushing out, ignoring the man blocking her path. Remembering to leave out the part about her parents in front of him, she added, "I need to talk to you. It's important."

Regina looked up, allowing her eyes to meet Emma's for a brief moment before turning, retreating back into the apartment. Emma looked back to the guy in front of her. He cocked an eyebrow at her. A smirk on his lips. Stepping back he shut the door in her face.

"Damnit." Emma yelled, punching the door with a tightly clenched fist.

She looked around in time to catch a nosey neighbor ducking back behind their curtains in the adjoining house. She paced in front of the door several times before finally deciding to leave. Emma didn't know what to do to get Regina to listen to her. Why that man was in Regina's apartment. Or why she wouldn't just hear her out. But she needed to figure it out fast.

**. . .**

Emma decided, quickly, to head towards her best friend's home. She needed Neal to talk some sense into her before she did something irrational like kick the door down and beat the hell out of the guy who'd answered the door. Her mind was racing. She couldn't think straight. A million scenerios running through her head. None of them good. Emma wanted to kill that guy. Something about him made her skin crawl. And then there was the part where Regina suddenly had parents that were alive and well, who had been in her living room until well past midnight. Figuring out how she was going to explain that one was on the top of her list.

Emma knew that man in Regina's house was one of Mills' guys. Aside from her previous run in with him, she'd seen him around the restaurant several times. But why he was in Regina's house, she had no clue.

So lost in thought, Emma made her stops and turns blindly. By memory. Not paying attention to her surroundings at all. Making the last turn onto the street where Neal lived, she failed to notice a car pulling out of the nearest driveway, effectively cutting her off as soon as she began to accelerate. Emma hit her brakes hard, attempting to avoid driving straight into the side of the blacked out vehicle.

The brakes did not fail.

It all happened so fast that Emma didn't even have time to brace herself as the brakes locked up, lifting the back end of the bike from the ground. The driver of the car watched as Emma flew off of the motorcycle and over the front end of the car, landing on the back of another vehicle parked on the side of the street. She never heard the squeal of the tires as the car sped away from the scene, satisfied that their job was done.

When it was all over, mere seconds had passed and Emma was left lying, unmoving, on the back end of the car where she'd landed. The window was shattered. Her helmet missing from the force of the brake and landing. Her face and arms were bloodied from the impact and the shattered glass. A moment later, the owner of the car where Emma had been left, came running out of their house.

The woman wasn't a friend of Emma's but both knew the other in passing, as Neal had lived on the same street for several years. When the woman reached her, Emma was barely conscious.

"Oh my God," the woman cried, immediate panic setting in. She turned to her husband who wasn't far behind her and yelled. "Robin, get down here. Call an ambulance!"

Looking down at Emma, the woman took her hand, telling her everything was going to be alright.

"Neal." Emma mumbled her best friends name before she lost consciousness.

The woman stood, horrified and confused, before it finally sunk in.

"Robin, stay with her." She told her husband before she took off running down the street.

When she reached Neal's house, she yelled at him through the screen door as she jerked it open and ran inside. She was just about to yell for him again when he came running out of the hallway and into the living room. Neal froze immediately, seeing blood on the woman in front of him.

"Marion, you're bleeding." He said calmly, unsure of what was happening. "What's going on?"

"It's not me Neal." She grabbed his hand, pulling him out the door. "The ambulance is on the way. It's your friend."

"What?" He asked, louder than he meant to, following her blindly out the door and down the street.

Before they reached the vehicle where the woman had left his best friend with her husband, Neal faltered, all of the color draining from his face. Taking in the motorcycle lying on its side, Neal knew that something bad had happened. As he walked around the back of the car, Neal thought he was going to be sick.

"Em, oh my God." He choked out, taking her hand in his.

There was no response.

"The ambulance should be here any minute, Neal." The guy, Robin, said. He stepped back, pulling his wife to his side to give them room. "She's breathing. But she lost consciousness just before Marion ran to get you."

"We didn't see what happened." His wife, Marion, spoke up.

But Neal wasn't paying attention to them, too concerned for his friend's life. The couple stood back, watching quietly as Neal talked to his unconscious friend.

"You and that stupid motorcycle, Em." Neal gritted his teeth, wiping tears from his eyes.

"Neal," Marion stepped forward, reaching out to him gently. "I don't think it was the motorcycle. I didn't see what happened…but I did see a car- a black car, driving away pretty fast."

Hearing this, Neal's head snapped up.

"Probably someone not paying attention." Marion reasoned. "Some kid that didn't want to own up and get into trouble."

"Yeah…" Neal said absently as the ambulance finally arrived. He was going to let them think whatever they wanted to. But he knew it was more than that. Neal knew that someone had intentionally tried to hurt or kill Emma Swan.

"Excuse me, sir." The paramedic put his hands on Neal's arm pulling him away from the car and the woman lying across the back of it. "Sir, you're gonna have to step over here if you want us to do our job, okay?"

Neal nodded, his whole body shaking. Anger, fear and every other emotion he could think of, taking over him. Once the paramedics had gotten Emma stabilized and into the ambulance, the police had arrived and were talking to the couple who owned the car. Neal informed them that he was FBI and that he would be riding to the hospital with his friend. They could find him there if they needed him.

**. . .**

Once they arrived at the hospital, the doctors immediately went to work on her. They informed Neal of the tests they were going to run and left him to wait alone in an empty corridor. It was late in the evening when the doctor finally came to tell him the news. Emma hadn't received any major damage. Some swelling in her right leg where it had been broken. He informed Neal that they would have to let the swelling go down before they could put a cast on it. They gave him the room number that she'd been taken to and told him that she would be fine.

Neal thanked the doctor and headed for room 421. When he walked into the room, the scene that lay in front of him nearly brought Neal to tears again. Emma looked small lying there in the hospital bed, hooked up to various monitors and IV's. He sat with her for several hours, talking and saying whatever came to mind, hoping that she would wake up. He didn't want to give up, but Neal was growing tired and entertaining his self with his phone had long since gotten old. He needed sleep. Still holding Emma's hand, Neal was just starting to doze off when he felt her fingers twitch. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and stood just in time to see her eyes flutter open weakly.

"Neal…" Emma's throat was dry and her voice cracked as she managed to say his name.

"How you feelin'?" He asked softly, brushing some loose strands of hair from her face.

"Like shit." She said, attempting to laugh. Neal knew she would make jokes, no matter how serious the situation was, so he tried to smile for her sake. "You look like hell too, did you trip getting to the scene?"

"Thanks, Swan." He chuckled looking down at her. "I'm gonna have gray hair after this, thanks to you. Were you trying to get yourself killed?"

"There was a car." She told him, perking up as she suddenly remembered why she was even there. "Someone caused the accident. There was a guy who threatened me that day that I broke things off with Regina. When I left her house."

"What does that have to do with this?"

Emma closed her eyes for a moment, remembering the previous evening. The gallery. Being followed home. Finding out Regina's parents were alive. He watched as she silently went over the thoughts in her head.

"What happened, Emma?"

"Last night, on my way home, I was followed again." She started. When she saw the look of disbelief on Neal's face, she shook her head gently, hoping he'd give her a minute. "When I pulled into my driveway, the car stopped in front of my house. So I just got out of my car and pulled my weapon. When they finally got out of the other car, it was the couple from the gallery."

"What couple? There was a ton of people there last night, Em."

"The couple that bumped into us when we were walking into that second room." She supplied. "They're claiming to be Regina's parents."

"That's ridiculous Em!" Neal exclaimed. "What are they suggesting? That they've been in hiding, even though they didn't even give the government enough to sink his brother?"

"He turned on his brother." Emma said. "That was enough. Mills would have had them killed if he'd found out they survived that accident. They had that accident because he was trying to kill them. I pulled their photos from my files. They've clearly aged. But it's them, Neal."

Neal took a moment and stood next to the hospital bed in silence. The information was a lot to take in. Suddenly he was beginning to feel like the last three years of his career had all been a useless waste of time. Conveniently more and more things kept surfacing that just didn't add up. They were the lead Agents on the case against Mills. Why wouldn't they have been informed about every detail? Even if it was just "The parents are in witness protection and no you can't know who they are." Neal sighed to his self and rubbed at his eyes. There were a million and one questions on his mind at the moment, but he started with, "Does Regina know? Have you told her yet?"

"I went there this morning. To tell her everything." Emma took a deep breath, starting to feel worn out. "When I knocked on the door, the guy that threatened me before was there to open it. I couldn't get to Regina. I tried to get her to talk to me, but she just stood there and let him keep me out. When I left, to come tell you what I found out…this happened."

"Don't wear yourself out, Em." Neal said, squeezing her hand gently. "I'll spare you a lecture for now. You need to rest and worry about getting better, so we can go after these assholes. All right? And as for her parents being alive...we'll figure something out. She needs to know."

Emma nodded. She took a moment to slow her breathing and wet her lips. Neal assisted her with a cup of ice water.

"Neal, you have to do me a favor…" She squeezed his hand tightly, to let him know she was being serious. He nodded. "I need you to go get Regina. She's not safe. I- we have to keep her safe."

Neal listened to what his friend was saying. The inflection in her voice left the wheels turning in his brain and he was starting to realize why Emma felt such a strong urge to protect this woman.

"I'm sure Regina's going to be fine, Em. If what you say is true, then her uncle is going to do everything in his power to keep her out of the loop and out of harm's way."

"That man thinks he had his own brother murdered. And tried to make it look like an accident, Neal. What makes you think he wouldn't do it again? What if he finds out they're alive? What if he already _knows_? They were in that gallery last night. What were they thinking? Anyone could have seen them and realized. I don't care how long it's been." Emma said, shedding light on the harsh reality of who Luis Mills was and the reality of the situation. "Please. Just do it."

Neal took a deep breath, knowing he was about to set her off.

"Emma. She's not her." He knew it was last thing she needed to hear right now.

"What? What are you talking about?"

Neal sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. "She's- Regina isn't Amanda, okay?"

"Whatever, Neal…" She looked away trying her best to block him out.

For three years she had refused to talk about Amanda. Most days Neal understood. Others, he found himself fighting the urge to force her into facing what she'd been through.

"No, Emma. You have to listen to me." Neal insisted. "You have to talk about this. You have to talk about her."

"No. Neal. I don't. And I don't have to listen to anything you have to say about her, either. You weren't there. This has nothing to do with her, so drop it." Her voice was low and she had meant to sound forceful, but it just hadn't come out that way. Instead, she felt as if a large weight had been left sitting on her chest and found it increasingly harder to breathe. "Just- leave it alone."

"You're gonna have to tell her, you know?"

"Neal. Please just go pick Regina up."

Neal decided to let it go for now.

"It's five in the morning, Emma. She doesn't know me. She's not going to go anywhere with someone she doesn't-" Neal's voice trailed off, thinking about the night she'd left the bar with his best friend. "Never mind that…"

Emma rolled her eyes at that. "Do whatever you have to do, but just get her here."

Neal regarded his best friend carefully for a moment, knowing that things were going to get a lot harder before they could get better. What did they have to lose? The shit was already hitting the fan.

"Okay." He gave in. Leaning down, he kissed her softly on the forehead. "I'll get her here. Just promise me you'll rest, okay?"

"I'll rest. I promise."

**. . .**

Before going to Regina's, Neal decided to head home first. He took a moment to jump in the shower, attempting to wake himself. Showered and dressed, Neal headed out. When he reached Regina's, Neal wasted no time getting up the front steps and pounding on the door. He glanced around the area anxiously, hoping the guy Emma told him about wouldn't be there.

A couple minutes passed before she finally answered. When Regina opened the door, Neal glanced past her, scanning the house for signs that someone else might be there. Hoping it was safe, he invited his self in, pushing the door shut behind him, forcing Regina to move. She backed away from him quickly, never taking her eyes off of him.

"What the hell are you doing? Who the hell are you?" She demanded, making a quick move for the cell phone on her kitchen counter.

Neal ignored her, taking in the woman's appearance. He couldn't help but notice half the reason Emma was attracted to her. Regina stood in front of him, wearing close to nothing, covered by what appeared to be an oversized button down dress shirt that looked oddly familiar. He was positive that she had been asleep and for a split second felt bad about waking her up at such an early hour.

"I need you to get dressed and come with me." He finally spoke up.

"Who the hell _are_-" She paused, a look of recognition washing over her face. "Why do you look familiar? Who are you?"

"I-"

"No wait." She threw her hand up at him. She backed away again, putting the bar between them and reached for a bottle in the sink. She pointed it in his direction, making an attempt to look threatening. "I remember you. I saw you. You were at the opening last night. At the gallery. A-and on the sidewalk in front of my house. _Weeks_ ago! Are you stalking me? What do you want from me?"

"Look Regina, we don't have time to talk." He said, looking around nervously. "Emma was in a bad accident."

"Why should I believe you?"

She relaxed her defensive stance but crossed her arms defiantly over her chest, bottle still in hand. Neal heard the worried tone in her voice and took a second to choose his words carefully, so that she might continue to listen.

"You want the short version?" He raised an eyebrow at her. She nodded. "Em and I grew up together. She's my best friend. We're both FBI Special Agents. She's in love with you. Someone just tried to kill her and she wants me to help her keep you safe because there's a strong possibility that you might be in danger." He took a deep breath then stepped towards Regina, trying to usher her to the door. "She sent me here to get you, so let's go. We have to go now."

"Whoa, wait! You want to run that by me again?" She said, resisting his advances by shoving the bottle in his direction again. There was no way he could get to her. Neal had no idea if she might actually try to swing the bottle at him or not. And even if she did, he knew there was no chance she would ever be able to overpower him. Neal just didn't want it to come to that.

"I really don't want to have to point a gun at you. Please." Neal said flatly. Realizing that she might not give in, it dawned on him to show her his ID. Reaching into his back pocket, Neal pulled out what looked like a wallet and opened it, holding it up for Regina to see. "Here. Look. This is my identification. The last thing I want to do is upset you any further. Swan will kick my ass if anything happens to you. Trust me."

They stared each other down for several moments. Suddenly Regina couldn't help but remember the many conversations where Emma had warned her about strangers and trusting no one. Regina took a deep breath and sat the bottle down in the sink, not quite sure why she was giving in.

"Okay. Just…let me get dressed." She sidestepped along the edge of the counter, staying as far away as possible, still unsure of the man standing in her hallway. But the way he talked about Emma left Regina feeling as if she should believe what he was saying.

It didn't take her long to change, so when she came back into the room five minutes later, Neal was amazed at the fact that she looked as if she'd just spent two hours making herself presentable. He still didn't understand why it took some women so long to properly prepare their selves and others could do it in a matter of minutes. Grabbing her coat from the hook by the door, Regina stopped Neal before they stepped outside.

"Someone better explain this to me. In detail."

"Emma can tell you whatever you want to know when we get there."

**. . .**

Once they were on their way to the hospital, the two sat in silence for several minutes before Regina decided to ask questions.

"What happened?" She sounded worried.

"What?" Neal asked momentarily confused due to his lack of sleep. Then it dawned on him what she was saying. He took a deep breath. "Oh. Well…she said someone pulled out in front of her and just stopped. So she came off the bike and- she landed on a car that was parked on the street."

Regina flinched. "But she's okay, right? If you talked to her…"

"Well," he paused; trying to think of the best way to describe the condition his best friend was in. He wanted to be honest, but he didn't want to make Regina worry any more than she already seemed to be. "She took out the back window of a car with her head. So...the whole right side of her face is bruised and a little swollen. There weren't any major cuts, so it should be fine. There was just one that was really bad right above her eye, but they stitched it up." He laughed to his self despite the situation. "It'll add character."

Regina looked over at him.

"Her right leg is broken just below the knee. The doctors want to let the swelling go down, so they'll probably keep her until tomorrow, to watch it before they'll cast it. Her whole body is probably going to be sore for a while though."

Regina nodded, fighting back tears that were threatening to spill over. When she didn't say anything Neal looked over at her, concerned.

"She's gonna be okay." He tried to sound reassuring.

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	15. Chapter 15

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**Author's Note: Check out a song called Can't Breathe by Fefe Dobson. I found it a bit inspiring for this chapter.**

**CHAPTER 15 (make note of Fefe Dobson song)**

Neal put a hand on Regina's arm as they reached the door to Emma's room at the hospital.

"Regina- one thing." Regina waited patiently for Neal to continue. "A fair warning. You should know that Em doesn't like doctors."

That said Regina regarded Neal carefully, wondering why he would point that out. Especially after Emma had told her that her parents were both well respected in the medical field. But now that she thought about it, Regina suddenly wondered if that was even true. She nodded slowly.

Walking in, Regina stepped quietly around the corner, afraid of what she was going to see. Neal stood back as she approached the bed where his friend lay sleeping. He suddenly felt like he was intruding as he watched the scene unfolding in front of him and excused himself quietly from the room.

Regina stood next to the bed, looking down at the woman she had so quickly fallen in love with. The woman who had broken her heart a month earlier. The woman who, despite everything, Regina realized that she could no longer live without. She thought that Emma looked small and fragile, lying there. It didn't take long for the tears to start falling, but Regina didn't bother to brush them away. Instead, she leaned over and gently kissed Emma's swollen lips, allowing the simple yet intimate touch to linger. Regina hadn't seen her since the day Emma walked away. But the weeks hadn't changed her feelings for the other woman. If anything, they had grown stronger as she spent most of her days sitting around her house missing Emma Swan.

"Please be okay…" she whispered, softly brushing her cheek against Emma's and breathing her in.

Regina didn't know what else to do, so she stood quietly next to the bed, holding her hand and gently running her fingers through Emma's hair. Regina had missed her touch. She didn't want to let go. Several minutes passed. Emma stirred and Regina watched as she finally opened her eyes.

"Hi." Emma's voice was raspy. Her throat dry from the medication the doctors had pumped into her.

Regina couldn't respond. She sighed heavily, suddenly short of breath and unsure of what to say, leaving Emma to wonder what kind of reaction she was going to get.

"I'm sorry." Emma whispered barely loud enough for her to hear. All thoughts about the minutes leading up to her wreck were put on a shelf to be dealt with later. All that mattered was that Regina was standing in the hospital room with her, safe and sound. Though Emma did make a mental note to find out why that goon was at Regina's house the previous afternoon.

"FBI?" Regina asked weakly through tears that were heavy in her eyes. Emma's eyes fluttered shut as she swallowed a thick lump in her throat, unsurprised by the fact that Neal had told her the truth. "You couldn't tell me that you're FBI? Why? I don't understand, Emma. Why did you lie? I don't care what you do…"

"I couldn't tell you." She took a deep breath. "Because it involves you." At Regina's look of confusion, she corrected herself. "Or at least, we thought it did. But I know differently now."

"And what exactly am I being accused of?" Regina asked, torn between confusion and intrigue.

"Not you." She amended quickly, knowing things were probably about to get out of hand. "Your uncle."

"Uncle Luis? What did _he_ do?"

Emma coughed roughly as she opened her mouth to speak. Regina helped her steady herself and reached for the glass of water on the tray next to the bed. Regina held the cup for her as she took a sip to wet her throat.

"I'm not supposed to tell you any of this," she started. "And I won't be able to tell you everything…so you've got to promise me that you're not going to go to him."

Regina nodded swiftly, wiping at the tears that stained her cheeks. She had no idea what was going on, but still she found herself trusting Emma enough to know that it was probably bad.

"The FBI has been after your uncle for years, Regina. I just happened to get put on the case going on three years ago." Emma paused, taking a deep breath, her body still very weak. "Luis Mills may be your uncle…and to you, he's probably a very good man. I have no doubts about his love for you or that he raised you well and takes care of-"

"Please, Emma. Just tell me what's going on." Regina pleaded with her.

Another deep breath.

"We have reason to believe that he's illegally trafficking drugs in and out of the country, there are counts of racketeering and other things and he's using his business as a cover."

"No. That's a lie." Regina insisted, shaking her head firmly. She stepped back, letting go of Emma's hand. "I have practically lived at that restaurant my whole life. There's nothing going on there! He wouldn't do that."

Emma averted her eyes, hating that she was the one having to tell Regina that her uncle wasn't the man she always thought he was. Emma hated knowing that she was the one ruining that image of him for her.

"My uncle is a _good_ man, Emma. He wouldn't…" she trailed off, falling back into the chair conveniently positioned next to the bed. Emma watched as Regina's facial expressions changed from confusion to realization.

"All this time. All this time you've known everything about me." Regina accused, looking up at her, suddenly remembering the truth of the situation between them.

Emma felt sick and she knew that Regina probably did too. "Regina, I-"

"Even before. Before we met. That's why you approached me in the bar that night?" Regina accused, her voice rising. She felt betrayed. Lied to. Cheated. "Every conversation we had. You already knew everything."

"Not everything." Emma was quick to correct. "I didn't know _you_. All I knew came from a file. Regina, you have to believe me. At first, it _was_ about the job. It was. But that night, I approached you because I was attracted to you. I'd looked at picture after picture of you and I- I was drawn to you. And I pushed you away because it felt wrong. What I was doing felt wrong. I didn't want to do that to you."

"Then why did you come back?" Regina yelled at her, on the verge of sobbing.

"I wanted to get to know you. You." She answered sincerely. "Regina, I love you."

Silence enveloped the room. They both needed a moment to think about what had just happened.

"What has he done?" Her voice was weak and to Emma, she sounded as though her heart had been a little broken.

"Regina, I'm sorry." Emma told her gently. "I know that nothing I say is going to help. Or make the truth go away. But I had to tell you because-" She paused. "I was taken off the case. My boss found out that I was seeing you. He realized that it was more than just the job and he pulled me. And told me that he would fire me if I didn't stay away from you."

Regina listened closely, but wasn't ready to respond.

"He put a new guy on the case." Emma told her. "I was afraid he was going to come after you."

"The guy who was in the restaurant." Regina stated, beginning to piece things together. "The one asking all the questions. I knew something wasn't right that day. You were angry when you saw him. I didn't say anything. But I could feel it."

"Regina," Emma paused, wincing slightly as she tried to reposition herself in the bed. "You can't let anyone know that you know any of this. I don't know what might happen if you do…"

Regina's eyes snapped up to meet Emma's, an alarmed look on her face.

"What do you mean you don't know what could happen?" She asked, suddenly concerned. "You think someone might try to hurt me? Who would do that?"

"I'm not sure." She answered, taking a moment to decide whether or not to continue. "But I do know that I want to keep you safe, Regina. I-"

Regina watched Emma expectantly. Waiting.

"I don't want to lose you. I need you, Regina." She finished quietly, staring up at the ceiling. Emma didn't want to see the look on her face if Regina didn't feel the same way.

Regina wasn't quite sure what she'd been expecting the other woman to say, but the open admission had made her heart flutter. The room remained silent for several moments as she tried to gather up something to say that would equal what she'd just been told.

"Say something." Emma asked her voice barely more than a whisper. "Please."

Regina took her hand then and stood. Another tear rolling down her cheek. She'd never had someone be so honest with her and know that they meant it. And here Emma was opening up to her. Still she was speechless. Regina found herself torn between being angry at Emma for keeping so much from her and wanting to forgive her because she knew that the other woman had only been doing her job.

"I have no words, Emma…I-" Regina whispered, hanging her head. She saw the flash of pain wash over Emma's face. "I just- I'm so confused. It's like I want to be angry at you for keeping all of this from me. And I want to be angry at my uncle for putting me in that position."

Regina paused, taking a deep breath. She looked down at Emma who continued to stare at the ceiling because she was afraid to make eye contact with her.

"But I can't be angry. Whatever this mess is…it brought me you." She continued, more tears pushing their way past her lashes. "I can't ignore that. But Emma, if he's guilty of everything you said and more…It will tear apart the family that I still have. I'll have nothing left."

"That's not true!" Emma sounded almost panicked, finally turning to meet Regina's stare. "You know that's not true, Regina. Anything you need, I'll always be here."

"I know." She exhaled heavily. "And I want you to be. I do. But that doesn't make any of this less confusing, Emma. I-"

"Ms. Swan!" The almost too cheerful voice sounded from the door as Emma's doctor entered the room. "How are we feeling, today?"

Emma barely suppressed her sigh of frustration at his presence, but tried to smile despite the poor timing and interruption.

"Fine," she responded, her tone slightly bitter.

Regina stepped back but continued to hold Emma's hand as the doctor set about checking the woman's blood pressure and other routine things.

"Well it looks like we won't have to remove any limbs, today." He joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Emma realized the doctor meant well, but she didn't like hospitals or the doctors in them and wanted to get away from this one as soon as possible. She flinched slightly, jerking her chin from his fingers as he attempted to check the stitches in the cut above her eye.

"I'm sorry. Does something hurt?"

"No." She sighed audibly this time. "When can I go home?"

"Emma…" Regina spoke up gently, stepping closer to her. "Let him do his job."

"It's okay." The doctor reassured Regina. Turning to Emma, he continued. "I'd like to keep you through tonight and if that swelling goes down some more, we'll put a cast on your leg and then you'll be released."

Emma did her best not to roll her eyes. She knew that he was only doing his job, but she didn't think she could take much more of the immobility being in a hospital bed was causing. She knew she wouldn't be able to walk yet anyway, but it didn't help her to feel any less trapped than she did. Anywhere had to be better than a hospital. Besides all that, Emma had been a fast healer all her life. Her parents had thought it almost unnatural. Emma simply accepted and appreciated it.

"You were lucky, Ms. Swan." The doctor nodded, having seen worse results from lesser motorcycle accidents. "I'd advise that you get some rest. And, uhm, you might want to make sure your helmet is more secure from now on."

"She will, Dr.-" Regina squinted, trying to read the name on his white coat. "Dr. Whale. Thank you."

Emma waited until he was gone to speak again.

"Traitor. You could have helped me."

"Help you what? Get out of here faster?" She asked, confused. "So the doctors can't help you like they need to? Do you never want to walk again? I'm not pushing you around in a wheelchair for the rest of your life."

"I'm fine." Emma mumbled to herself, ignoring Regina's attempt at lightening the mood. "They can't help me anyway."

"Yeah right, Emma." Regina sighed. "That's why you have to stop every five seconds to catch your breath. And why your leg is twice the size it should be."

Emma dropped her head back to the pillow. Her eyes once again tracing the lines on the ceiling. She didn't want to argue. And certainly didn't feel like explaining.

Regina didn't want to argue either. Leaning down she put her lips to Emma's ear. "I need you too…so you have to get better." she whispered before kissing her softly on the cheek.

The moment was interrupted when there was a knock on the door, followed by Neal poking his head around the corner. Both women looked up in surprise, having forgotten that he'd been waiting in the hallway the whole time.

"Hey, come in." Emma told him, sounding tired after her long talk with Regina.

Neal moved to stand at the foot of the bed.

"I take it things went well?" He started, glancing back and forth between the two women. Then to Emma, "Since I can see you're still alive."

Emma did her best not to laugh, knowing how much it would hurt if she did.

"You sure picked a stubborn one, Swan." He smiled at both of them. "She fought me for fifteen minutes and threatened me with a wine bottle before I could even get her to listen."

"Thank you,-" Regina paused, realizing she didn't know Neal's name. "I feel awful I don't even know your name."

"Neal." Emma answered quickly.

He smiled politely and glanced at his watch.

"Em, it's eight-thirty. I need to go into the office."

"You should go before Ragan starts flipping out. Let him know I'm alive. He'll be thrilled to hear it." Emma rolled her eyes.

"Can you stay with her?" Neal asked Regina.

"Of course. You didn't have to ask." She smiled down at Emma.

Once Neal was gone, both women were comfortably silent. Regina had taken a seat next to the bed, but refused to let go of Emma's hand. They had been talking so much she knew that Emma would need a moment before there was any more conversation. Unfortunately Emma had other plans. She had yet to tell Regina about her parents and whether or not now was the time she had to get it off her chest.

"Regina," she said, turning her head to look down at the younger woman sitting next to her bed. "There's something else you need to know."

Regina reached for the small cup of water on the table offering it up to Emma who took a small sip. She didn't know what she was about to hear, but felt certain she needed to prepare herself. It was barely after eight in the morning but already she'd been given enough information to last her a lifetime.

"Let's hear it." She finally spoke up. "I'm not sure you can surprise me anymore this morning."

"You might want to sit down." She patted the small space next to her on the hospital bed and Regina squeezed into the spot without questioning her. Once she was comfortable, Emma took a deep breath and opened her mouth to speak. "I was at your show Friday night. When I was there, these people bumped into me and...I didn't think anything about it. When I left, I was followed home."

She stopped for a moment, suddenly unsure of how to get to the point. "When I got out and approached the vehicle, it was the couple who I'd bumped into at the gallery. I-"

"What does this have to do with me?"

"Regina y-" Emma's throat seized up for a moment and she felt as if she were about to choke. Swallowing the offending lump in her throat she decided that spitting it out and getting it over with was the only way to go. "They're your parents."

"That's not possible." Regina dropped Emma's hand as if it had burned her and moved away from the bed, only stopping when her back was against the wall. Her eyes immediately welled up with tears. "Why would you say that?"

"I didn't believe it at first either." Emma spoke softly, realizing how hard the truth was going to be for her to hear. "The accident wasn't an accident. Someone ran you and your parents off the road that night. Your father wanted out of the family. He was going to take you and your mother away and give the FBI information about your Uncle in exchange for a whole new life. But before he could do that, someone tried to kill you. All of you."

"They're dead." Regina slid down the wall and the tears spilled down her cheeks as she began to sob uncontrollably. Everything Emma was saying to her was changing everything she thought she'd ever known. The pain, the confusion was almost unbearable. "They're dead. They wouldn't leave me if they weren't dead."

She was mumbling to herself, hugging her knees in the floor as she continued to cry. Emma lay in the hospital bed helpless; unable to get to the woman she was so in love with. She wanted to hold her, but couldn't move. Couldn't reach her. Emma's heart ached. She could feel the pain spilling out of her girlfriend's heart and wanted nothing more than to take her into her arms and make the hurt go away.

"Regina." Emma's arm hung from the bed reaching for the woman in the floor.

"Why would they leave me?" She asked, looking up at Emma with her eyes full of tears and question. "I wasn't a bad kid. I wasn't."

"I don't think they had much choice. From what they told me the Bureau came in and secured them, but somehow managed to not get to you in time. By then, the rest of the family had already seen you and knew that you were unharmed." Emma felt sick. The wave of emotions rolling off of the other woman was making her nauseas. She didn't know how they were so connected, or why, but they were. When they were apart she felt physically ill. "Regina, please. Come back. I need to touch you."

Regina nodded, standing on shaky legs. Emma pulled her onto the bed and moved as much as she possibly could so that she could her closer. But Regina was overly cautious, careful not to put too much pressure on her, but found a way to hold her just the same.

"When you're ready, they'd like to see you." Emma whispered against Regina's tousled hair. She didn't respond. "They said they would understand if you need time."

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	16. Chapter 16

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**CHAPTER 16**

Regina had spent the rest of the previous day in and out of the bed, lying next to Emma and taking care of her. They didn't talk about her parents again. Emma knew that Regina would bring it up when she was ready. Everything she'd known for the past sixteen years had changed in a matter of a few sentences and minutes. She stayed with Emma the rest of the day and through the night, until Neal came to pick them up the next morning. Emma with a cast on her leg was ready to go. And much to Regina's relief, the doctor had actually released her. She found herself thinking that the doctor was probably just as glad to see her go, as Emma was to be leaving. Regina made a mental note to remember to ask Emma what it was about hospitals and doctors that she hated so much. And whether or not her parents really were who she said they were.

After a little resistance from Emma, Neal talked her into staying at his house. His argument being that Regina could stay with her and they would both be in one place where he could keep an eye on them.

"We still have a lot to talk about." Regina was speaking quietly as she lay on the guest bed next to the other woman.

"I know." Emma responded solemnly. "I was trying not to think about it though."

"How long are you going to be out of work?"

"Until I feel better, I guess." She did her best to shrug. "Considering I'll be sitting at a desk for the rest of my natural life, I could probably go back in tomorrow."

"Why?"

"Well, I'm a field agent." Emma explained. "But when you compromise a case by being involved with a potential suspect, you quickly get demoted to the eternal pain and punishment of paperwork. With the occasional threat of being fired if you're caught doing it again. But that's only if your boss likes you. Lucky me."

"Ah." Regina nodded in understanding. "So that's what that stuff was all about? Being busy with work and how you wouldn't be available and how I deserved better?"

Emma sighed heavily, feeling embarrassed. "You had to bring that up, didn't you?"

"What can I say? Payback's a bitch." Regina smiled and nudged Emma playfully in the ribs, careful not to actually hurt her. She was still avoiding the conversation about her parents and Emma wondered how long it would be before they discussed it again. It didn't matter to her though. Emma would wait as long as Regina needed to. She would just have to contact them and let them know that Regina was just not ready to deal with it yet.

"I guess I deserve that."

"I'm just glad you're okay, Emma." Regina assured her. Pushing up from the spot where she was lying next to the blonde, Regina leaned in giving her a gentle kiss on the lips.

"Maybe a few more of those and I'll be all better?" Emma smiled sheepishly.

"Oh really?" Regina smiled brightly. "You think they're that good?"

"Don't get a big head."

Just as they were leaning in for another kiss, Neal knocked on the open door, sticking his head around the corner.

"Sorry to interrupt, ladies…" he cleared his throat. "But I've got to put in half a day. Ragan's called twice, yelling at me to get to work. He doesn't think you need a babysitter."

"I'm guessing you left out the part where I already had one?" Emma laughed.

"Uh…yeah."

"I think we can fend for ourselves." Regina assured him with a mischievous grin on her lips.

**. . .**

Once Neal was gone, both women remained silent. Neither knew what to say, but they were both content to be in each other's company. Emma lay there with her eyes closed; gently running her hand over Regina's back while they were both lost in deep thought.

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you." Emma said, breaking the silence. Regina didn't respond, so she continued. "The day of the accident, when I came to your door and that guy was there… Why?"

"That was one of my many cousins. His name is Carlos. Uncle Luis sent him home with me after the opening at the gallery. He said someone was following me and wanted to make sure that I was safe."

Emma remained silent, suddenly curious to know if Luis Mills knew that his baby brother was alive and well. Or he'd seen Emma and Neal at the gallery. It all just seemed a little too convenient that he would suggest someone was following his niece the same night Emma found out that Regina's parents were still alive and well. But Regina either wasn't putting two-and-two together or she was choosing to ignore the situation still.

"Emma…can I ask you something?" Regina changed the subject quickly.

Emma paused in her back rubbing motion, knowing that Regina never asked to ask a question, unless she knew it was something Emma might be hesitant to answer.

"Sure." She answered cautiously, afraid of what Regina might bring up.

Wanting to be able to see her, Regina moved to sit up, leaning back against the headboard. Regina's demeanor prompted Emma to follow suit, though she had a little more trouble doing so. She took a moment to look at Emma whose right eye was still slightly swollen and bruised around the outside edge. Only a couple of days and already most of the bruises were gone._ She's a fast healer_, Regina thought to herself. There wasn't anything about this woman that she didn't love, bruising or no.

"You…" she paused, wetting her lips and taking a deep breath. "You were in an awfully big hurry to get out of the hospital."

"Regina," Emma started quickly. "I just don't like hospitals. Or doctors. It's normal. A lot of people don't trust them. I just prefer to take care of myself."

"Don't be mad. But Neal made it a point to tell me that you don't like hospitals. He must have-" Regina paused again, seeing the look on her girlfriends face. "Please don't roll your eyes. You do that all the time. I'm serious."

"I know." She answered quietly. "I didn't like doctors when I was a kid. I've always healed quickly and I've never really been sick. I just don't have any use for medical services."

"Is that why you scraped yourself off the back of that car and put your own cast on?"

"Funny." Emma said sarcastically and they both sat in silence for several moments. Contemplating whether or not to elaborate, Emma knew that admitting anything was just opening herself up to be hurt. But something was telling her to be honest. They couldn't have any more secrets between them if they were going to make this thing work. "I love my parents. And…I'm proud of who they are and what they do. But…what they do, pretty much took them away from me. Being around doctors and hospitals just reminds me of the poor relationship I have with my parents."

Regina was quiet for a moment, absorbing Emma's confession about her family. "There's a lot I don't know about you. I want to know everything. Don't ever hold back, Emma. I can tell there are things you want to talk about. I'm just not sure why you don't."

"Trust me. You don't want to know everything. You might not like me so much anymore." Emma said quietly. Her tone serious.

"Something happened. Something that hurt you. And changed you. Why won't you tell me?" Regina moved, repositioning herself so that she was facing the other woman. A few moments passed and Emma still hadn't spoken. "Emma, I'm not going anywhere. You can talk to me."

"Up until three years ago, I was involved with someone. Her name was Amanda. We-"

"Was…?" Regina spoke up before she could stop herself. Emma kept talking.

"I met Amanda after I graduated. I was 20, she was 18. Her and Neal and I were all really close. Her parents thought I was a bad influence and basically disowned her, so she moved in with me. Pretty much, they told her it was them or me." Emma took a deep breath, images of Amanda passing through her mind. "She was my moral support. My rock, all the way through college. My job as a cop and then getting accepted into the FBI."

"What happened?" Regina asked gently, moving closer and taking Emma's hands. Whatever she had been through, Regina wanted her to know that she was there.

"I was particularly busy on a case. We weren't seeing each other a lot, but everything seemed okay." She explained. "I'd come home at night and she'd be there waiting for me like she always was." A pause. "I was working undercover and it was really stressful on both of us…but we were okay. I mean, I thought-"

"You don't have to." Regina said, suddenly realizing by the tone in the other woman's voice that she might have pushed too hard.

"No." Emma's voice cracked and she shook her head. It was time. "I do have to."

She took a moment to think about what she was doing and started to talk again.

"I came home one night and Amanda was gone. Her car was still in the garage. There weren't any signs of a wasn't even a note. She was just…gone." Emma stared at the foot of the bed, focusing on the bedspread. "The feds were on it in no time. But because of our relationship, I wasn't allowed to be involved in the case. All I could do was wait."

"That must have been horrible, Emma." Regina sympathized.

"I was at the office every day doing paperwork because my boss said I was too stressed out to be doing anything else. I was working late. Before I knew it, it was almost midnight and Neal finally came in and made me leave." She shrugged. "Amanda had been gone for four days. I didn't want go home. I know it seems like I'd want to be there in case she showed up…but I couldn't just sit there and wait. It would've just made me crazier."

_Emma parked her motorcycle in the driveway and walked with her head down towards the porch. She took the steps two at a time like she always did and looked up to find the front door cracked open. Emma rushed inside hoping to find that Amanda was home and safe. She wondered through the first level of the house, searching like a kid playing hide and seek, yelling the younger woman's name. _

_When she came up empty handed, Emma darted up the stairs. As soon as she reached the landing, Emma noticed the bedroom door was shut. Unusual, considering it was something neither of them ever did. There was a glow of light around the edge of the door and Emma burst into the room, only to find it empty. She knew something wasn't right. She hadn't left her lights on. She hadn't closed the door. And she certainly had not left her front door standing open. Amanda wouldn't have done any of those things, either._

_Emma's senses began to tingle and she reached for her gun, immediately concerned about what she was going to find. There were a number of possibilities. After all, she was FBI. Anyone could have figured that out and decided to come after her. _

_She tip-toed along the wall, heading for the master bathroom. Pushing the door open, she lunged, gun-first into the room. Nothing. Stepping back into the bedroom, Emma realized the balcony was her last option._

_She was suddenly feeling uneasy about opening the door. She'd covered too many cases not to know that anything was a possibility. Steadying herself, she took a deep breath and reached for the doorknob. Turning it carefully, she listened to the click of the latch releasing and pulled the door open. _

_When she stepped out the doors, the adrenaline kicked in as she looked up to find Amanda hanging from the rafters above the balcony. Her body was still and lifeless as Emma reached for her, wrapping her arms around the younger woman's legs, trying to relieve the pressure from the rope around her neck. _

_"'__MANDA!" Emma yelled, immediate panic setting in. "Amanda no!" _

_She searched for the nearest chair, dragging it close with her foot and climbed up, clueless as to how she was going to get the younger woman down. Emma's arm was on fire as she fought to hold Amanda up while using her free hand to tug at the rope that was clenched so tightly around the younger woman's throat._

_Everything was a blur as the rope came loose and Emma slipped it over Amanda's head. With the rope no longer supporting her weight, Emma couldn't stop them both from being pulled out of the chair and down to the hard floor of the balcony. They landed hard. Without another thought, Emma immediately checked for a pulse, unable to find one simply because her own was about to beat out of her chest. Emma sat up, pulling the younger woman into her lap. Amanda's head fell lifeless against her leg._

_"__Please don't leave me." Emma cried, reaching for her phone. First she called 911. Second, she called her best friend. _

_"__Neal you have to get over here! Now!" She screamed at him over the line before dropping the phone at her side. _

_It seemed like an eternity passed as she waited. The silence was deafening and she had yet to find a pulse or any sign of life. She was too sick to her stomach to do anything but sit there, holding Amanda in her arms._

_Neal arrived before the ambulance, falling to his knees as he found his best friend outside of her bedroom, rocking her girlfriend's body in the dark. Neal pulled them both into his arms and held them as the tears spilled down his cheeks. He felt sick. And helpless. When the ambulance finally arrived, Neal grabbed Emma and fought to pull her away as the paramedics took over, feeling as if it was the only thing he could do._

_He didn't have to be told. Neal had known what happened as soon as he had found them, seeing the rope still hanging from the beam above. He sat, holding Emma tight as she screamed and cried in his arms, fighting to get away as she watched the paramedics check for signs of life, though they both knew there were none._

_She watched as both shook their heads, indicating there was no response. As they stood to leave the scene and to notify a coroner, Neal lifted Emma from the ground pulling her back into the room, kicking and screaming, away from her dead girlfriend's body. He continued into the room and stopped at the closest wall just out of sight of where the younger woman was left lying. Emma slumped helplessly against him as the sobs continued to wrack her entire body. Tears streamed down his face as well, as Neal listened to his best friend crying and calling Amanda's name._

Regina sat stunned, next to Emma as she'd listened to her account every detail from the night of Amanda's death. Tears were flowing freely down both their faces.

Regina searched for something to say. But what could she?

"I had- no idea." She whispered, moving to envelope the older woman in a tight embrace.

"You couldn't have." Emma's tone was weak. Aside from being physically exhausted, she now found that she was mentally exhausted as well. "I just don't know why."

"Why?"

"Why she did it." Even still, Emma was confused and hurt. They had been happy. There had never been a single sign that Amanda had been upset or depressed. "Why wasn't I enough? Why wasn't I good enough?"

"Oh Emma…" Regina sighed deeply, holding the woman close. Her heart was aching for this woman that she had fallen so deeply in love with. "It wasn't your fault."

Regina brushed the tears from Emma's cheeks and kissed her gently, mindful of the small cuts on the right half of her mouth. Emma relaxed in her arms and Regina gave a small sigh of relief, hoping that she believed her. Regina had no idea what she was supposed to say or do, so she found herself pulling Emma down, stretching out behind her. Regina wrapped Emma in her arms and pulled her close.

After several minutes of heart wrenching sobs, Emma's breathing began to even out. Regina hoped the other woman would sleep. They both needed it.

"Regina?" Emma's voice cracked, her throat parched from all the talking she'd done.

"I'm here." She whispered, with her eyes closed and her face buried against the back of Emma's neck.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you…" she apologized, staring blankly at the wall. "I just…couldn't talk about it."

Regina brushed a few errant strands of hair from Emma's face and gently kissed her ear.

"You have nothing to apologize for." She reassured her softly. "Sleep, Emma. We can talk later."

Regina spent the rest of the evening holding Emma while she slept. She didn't know what else to do and had even fewer ideas as to anything she could say. Deep down, Regina knew that even a few meaningful words would never be able to take away the pain Emma had been suffering. To her, three years seemed so long, so Regina could only imagine the eternity it must have been for her girlfriend.

When Neal returned home from work later that evening, having stayed longer than anticipated, he headed for the guest room to check in on the two women. When he was sure everything was fine and that both of them were asleep, he went to the kitchen to find something to eat. He was sitting at the kitchen table reading an old paper and finishing his microwaved leftovers when Regina walked in. She stopped just inside the door, clearing her throat to alert him to her presence.

"Hey. I thought you were asleep." Neal said, folding the paper and laying it on the table.

"No. Emma is but- I've just been laying with her." Regina shook her head. "I couldn't sleep."

"You sound like you've got something on your mind." Neal reached over and pulled out a chair. "Anything you want to talk about?"

Regina sat.

"Well, for starters, Emma told me about Amanda and-" Regina paused, seeing the uncomfortable look on Neal's face. "What?"

"Nothing. It's just that…she doesn't- hasn't talked about her. About what happened. Since- since that night. Not even with me." Neal took a deep breath. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Just like that, she had told Regina everything? Neal wondered if the accident had scared her enough to finally just talk about it. Or had something else happened to make her tell the other woman about the very thing she had been refusing to discuss twenty-four hours earlier. "That was three years ago, Regina. She kept that in for a long time. What did she tell you?"

"She only told me what happened and that they were together a long time." The room fell silent for a moment. "I'm sorry that happened. To Amanda, I mean. Emma said that you were close to her too."

"Yeah. I met her first, actually. Just…kind of bumped into her at a music store. And of course I hit on her." Neal laughed to himself. "She went out with me once too."

Regina smiled at the thought. She didn't know Neal at all, but knew that if he was Emma's best friend, there must be something special about him. Regina had the feeling that Emma didn't really let a lot of people get very close to her.

"So how did she end up with your best friend?"

"Well, I took her out to eat and like an idiot, I took her to a gathering and Emma was there. So when the night was over, my date was _leaving_ with my best friend."

"Do people just naturally gravitate towards her?" Regina asked, smiling to herself in wonder.

"Didn't you?" Neal countered and Regina nodded.

"I did." She smiled to herself remembering the many times she'd considered approaching Emma in the bar like she'd witnessed so many other women doing.

"I don't know. Maybe she'll be able to deal with it now and let her go. Em's such a private person, you know? And after Amanda died…I couldn't even say her name without pissing Em off." Neal ran his hand through his hair and took a deep breath, sitting back in his chair. "It just did something to her."

"I guess I understand that…" Regina sympathized.

"I tried to get her to move. She shouldn't have stayed in that house." He sighed. "But she refused. She wouldn't even let me come inside for a long time after. And when she finally did, there was this tension…"

"I guess that explains why I've only been to her house once. She acted kind of strange about it, you know? And I was only there for two minutes. Literally. All I saw was the living room."

"I don't know why she does that, Regina. I really don't." Neal said. His tone apologetic. "It's like she doesn't want anyone to touch anything. Like if she lets someone in there, that some remaining trace of Amanda will be gone. A person just can't live like that."

Regina knew that Neal had a point. What she didn't know was if there was anything she could do that would help, or if Emma would even let her try. But Regina reminded herself that Emma had already taken the first step by reaching out to her. That was a step forward wasn't it? It had to mean something.

"After we lost Amanda, things got really bad. I don't think Em even realized it." Neal continued. "And I know you should probably be hearing a lot of this from her, but… She just went on like nothing happened. Her attitude has been careless. Like 'Manda never existed."

"I could tell." Regina said softly. "That must have been hard on you too."

"It has been. She started going out a lot at night. Going home with random people." Neal shook his head. Reaching for his glass, he took a sip of water. "It was like she didn't miss her at all. But I guess that was just her way of not thinking about it."

Regina could tell that Neal was upset. It was obvious the past three years had taken its toll on both of them. Emma's inability to talk about Amanda had clearly affected him as well.

"I suppose you probably didn't want her getting involved with me, either, huh?" She asked curiously.

"That's not necessarily true." Neal smiled. "But I was worried that she might have just been jumping in head first, to get information from you. It was one thing for her to go out and have a one night stand. But it's a whole different story when you get involved with someone whose part of a case you're working on."

"She does this a lot?" Regina asked with a worried look on her face.

"No! No. I didn't mean it like that at all. About the cases I mean. You're a first." Neal was quick to clarify. "She cares about you. Just give her some time and understanding."

"I will."

"After all, she's still my best friend. That means if you hurt her, I'll be forced to take you in."

They both laughed.

"I think I can handle that."

"Handle what?" A voice came from the doorway of the kitchen, surprising both of them.

They both looked up to see Emma leaning against the doorway, steadying herself. Regina stood up as soon as she saw the other woman flinch and hurried to her side. Neal watched the brunette fussing over his best friend and smiled to his self. Emma was quite the sight, her leg in a cast, wearing a pair of dark grey cut off sweatpants and fitted tank. Her hair was a mess from having been asleep all afternoon, but no one seemed to notice. Regina brushed the hair from her eyes and pushed it over her shoulder. Neal almost blushed and averted his eyes back to the newspaper on the table, feeling once again as if he shouldn't be witnessing the interaction.

"What are you doing out of bed?" She fussed, putting her arm around Emma's waist to give her some support.

"Would you believe I missed you?"

Neal tried to hide his smirk.

"Yeah. I might. But that doesn't mean you had to come all the way in here to tell me." Regina said in a disapproving tone.

"I don't want to be stuck in that bed!" Emma insisted, on the verge of pouting. Had she stuck her bottom lip out, it would have made the scene complete.

"What's wrong with my bed?" Neal asked defensively.

"Have you ever slept in it?"

Regina rolled her eyes at Emma. "It's perfectly fine. C'mon, let's go." Then to Neal, she added, "Thanks for the talk."

"Night," he waved a hand at them as he stood. Neal figured he could watch a little television before he went to bed, so he headed for the living room.

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	17. Chapter 17

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**CHAPTER 17**

"I can't believe you got out of bed. Why didn't you just yell for me?" Regina asked as she helped Emma back down the hall.

"I really want to take a shower." She said ignoring Regina's question.

Emma sighed, knowing that was going to be out of the question for a while. At least until her cast was removed. As it was, the cast covered the lower half of her leg. And because of the cast, the only thing she could wear was a pair of cut off sweatpants that Neal had brought to the hospital for her to leave in. It didn't matter what she was wearing, her recovery was going to be rough for everyone.

"Yeah, well…that's not going to happen." Regina responded as they walked into the guest room. "At best, you _might_ be able to take a bath. But right now, I'm thinking you're going to have to settle for a good old fashioned sponge bath."

"You know, when you say it like that, it kind of sucks all the potential fun out of the situation."

"Sit down." Regina shook her head, helping her sit on the edge of the bed. It was amazing the short time they'd known each other, not including the torturous thirty-seven days that they'd been apart, how easily they interacted with each other.

She tried to ignore the fact that Emma was going to have to strip down and allow her to clean her body. It wasn't that she was uncomfortable with the idea. On the contrary, Regina was more than comfortable with it. The thought of being that close to Emma again made her skin tingle. They'd only spent one night together, but none of that mattered. When they touched, it felt like the world disappeared around them. Unfortunately Regina wasn't quite sure Emma was up to the challenge of rolling around in the bed with her just yet.

"Let me just- go get a wash cloth and some warm water. Okay?"

Just as Regina was about to turn, Emma caught her by the wrist. "Regina?"

"Yeah?" She asked, looking down at the injured woman in front of her.

"I love you." Emma met Regina's eyes with her own. "I don't know what I did to deserve you."

"I don't know what you did to deserve me either…" Regina joked with a smile.

"I mean it." Emma said quietly, looking down at their joined hands.

"I know." Regina leaned down, capturing Emma's lips with her own. "I love you too." She kissed her again. "I'll be right back. Don't get up this time."

"You just offered to bathe me. And you think I'm going to move?" Emma smiled attempting to change the mood. "Obviously you don't know me as well as you think!"

Regina shook her head as she walked into the hallway headed to the kitchen to find a bowl. She returned a few minutes later, bowl and washrag in hand. Emma sat on the edge of the bed silently watching as Regina went to the bathroom to fill it with warm water. She was a little unnerved and equally turned on at the thought of allowing Regina to bathe her. No one had ever done something like that for her and she worried for a moment how she was going to manage if things got out of hand. They had only been together once since they'd started seeing each other and now she was slightly incapacitated.

**. . .**

The following days went by quietly. Three weeks since the accident and Regina continued to stay with Emma in hopes of making the other woman's recovery a little easier. And true to Emma's words, she definitely healed quickly. Aside from the broken leg, the cuts and bruises on her face were only a couple days away from being gone completely. Regina's safety was also a factor in her staying close. Though they had no reason to believe that she was in any immediate danger, neither Emma nor Neal were willing to risk finding out the hard way.

Emma waited patiently for Regina to want to discuss the issue of her parents again. She hadn't had an opportunity to contact them with the information that it might be a while before Regina was ready to face them and she hoped they understood. She didn't know where they were staying. They had only given Emma a contact number. Most likely for a burner cell. But there was nothing she could do until Regina was ready.

After Emma had been home a couple days, Neal had taken Regina to get her vehicle so that they could come and go as they pleased. But with Emma being out of work and Regina's lack of a job, there wasn't much need for either of them to go anywhere for a while.

"I was thinking about running to the market to get a few things." Regina said as she stepped out of the bathroom. They hadn't been awake long, but brushing her teeth was a must, the minute she woke up.

"So not only do you get to take showers. Whenever you feel like it. You also get to leave the house?" Emma asked flatly.

"Wow." Regina laughed. She waved her toothbrush at the other woman dramatically. "Had you let me finish, Ms. Swan, I would have added 'Would you like to get out of the house?'. I was also going to ask if you would like to take a shower with me."

"Now that you mention it…"

"Too late!"

Emma sat up in the bed. They'd figured out a way to cover the cast so that Emma could take showers on her own. After the attempt at a second 'sponge bath', both women realized that they weren't going to be able to handle another round and keep their hands to their self. Her mobility was ninety percent better than it was after the accident. But not being able to walk without crutches was beginning to wear on her nerves. The doctor had predicted a minimum six week time span for her breaks to heal. The next couple weeks were going to be rough for all of them.

"Even if I beg?" Emma's tone was hopeful.

**. . .**

Neal pulled to a stop in front of his best friend's house. He'd taken the key from her key ring the night before when he'd decided to stop by and pick up a few things for her on his lunch break. He knew that Emma was uncomfortable letting anyone into the house and wondered if that was why she hadn't asked them to take her there since she'd been released from the hospital.

When he'd picked her up that day, Emma had only asked that he stop by a convenience store on the way to his house to pick up a new tooth brush and toothpaste. She already had a change of clothes there, or two, considering her comings and goings from his house over the years.

Neal killed the engine and climbed out of the truck. As he headed up the sidewalk and to the front door, he knew that Emma wouldn't be happy about him stopping by, but he knew she could use a few things that she didn't have at his house. Neal also knew that Emma wouldn't bother asking for them either. She had always been stubborn. He took a deep breath as he unlocked the door and hesitantly stepped into the foyer.

He hadn't been into the house very much in the past three years. At first it had been awkward that his best friend didn't invite him over anymore, but eventually he learned to just let it go. Neal had come to the conclusion that he would never be able to understand what it was that Emma had experienced, losing Amanda like she had.

The house was quiet and left him feeling extremely uncomfortable. With a sigh, he took the first step up the stairs and then another and then another. The closer he came to the top Neal began to realize that he hadn't been up these stairs since the night Amanda had died. Neal was strong. But he felt sick and the urge to cry was bearing down on him.

When he reached the landing, Neal stopped and closed his eyes. Shaking his head, he breathed slowly in and out, calming himself. Over the years, Neal had entertained the idea of what it would be like, walking back into that room. Seeing the place where everything had happened. He'd thought it would be easier. Reaching for the door, he twisted the handle and pushed.

**. . .**

"Do you mind stopping by my place on the way back?" Emma asked as they loaded the last of their bags into the trunk of Regina's car. Regina was a little surprised at the request, but didn't let it show. "I'm pretty sure I can make it up and down the stairs on my own and I'd like to grab a couple things, so I can stop wearing these ratty sweat pants!"

Regina smiled at her as they got into the car. Emma's freedom of movement had been much better since she'd gotten used to the hindrance the cast on her leg provided. Of course it helped that Emma was a very capable and self-sustaining person who refused to ask for assistance, even when she needed it most.

"Sure." Regina responded. "But you might have to guide me. I'm not sure I remember how to get there."

Emma showed Regina all of the lefts and rights until they made the last turn onto her street. As they approached the house in question, Emma immediately noticed her best friend's truck in the driveway. As Regina pulled the car to a stop against the curb and shifted it into park, Emma was already struggling to get out of the car.

"Emma. Let me help you!" Regina insisted, as she watched her girlfriend stumble out of the car with her one crutch.

"Stay here!" Emma snapped at her unintentionally. She turned as she shut the door and leaned down to look into the car. She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Regina. Just...give me a second. I'll be right back."

**. . .**

Neal stood in the middle of his best friend's bedroom, his stomach churning heavily at the mess he'd walked into. He had only intended to grab a few of her things that he thought would help make her more comfortable. Instead, he discovered something he wished he could erase from his memory.

The walls were covered in photos that had been taken by the coroner from the night Amanda had died. The bed looked as if it hadn't been touched since the night Emma had found her. And the yellow tape was still across the balcony doors. The implication of the scene in front of him was making him sick.

Three years.

He ran a hand through his hair and stepped backwards out of the room. Neal felt sick. And angry. He flew down the stairs, unable to get out of the house fast enough and just as he came through the front door, he barreled straight into Emma as she reached the landing of the front porch.

Emma fell backwards as the crutch came out from under her and in the next instant Neal was standing over her, grabbing her by the front of the shirt.

"_What the hell is wrong with you!?"_ he shouted, his face red with anger as he shook her senselessly. "_Why would you do that to her? Why!?_"

"What are you doing here?" Emma demanded an answer from him as she grabbed his hands and struggled to get out from under her best friend's grasp. Neal fought strongly against her, both fists full of Emma's jacket and shirt. "Why were you in_ my house_?"

In the car, Regina looked up from her phone in time to see Neal standing over Emma and grabbing her with both hands. She heard their shouting and knew immediately that something was not right. She jumped out of the car, making a run for the porch.

"_Three years Emma! Three years and you just couldn't let her go?"_ He shouted. "You put pictures _all over the walls_ of her dead body! She deserved _better_ than that!"

He shoved her away and stepped back as he realized what he was doing. Running his hands over his face, he watched as Emma lay there, no longer bothering to fight back. Neal never saw Regina coming as she took the front steps two at a time and shoved him into the wall, nearly knocking the breath out of him. Immediately his hands went up as he backed away from the angry brunette and watched as she turned to check on his best friend. Regina was stronger than she looked.

"What is wrong with you?" She yelled at him over her shoulder. "She's hurt!"

"It's fine. I'm fine." Emma said evenly and held up her free hand as Regina helped her get to her feet. "He didn't do anything wrong."

"Excuse me?" Regina was baffled. "He shoved you to the ground and attacked you!"

"I'm sorry." Neal spoke up, holding a hand out toward them. "I'm sorry Em. I was out of line."

"What the hell are you two arguing about?" Regina looked back and forth between them, trying to understand what had just happened. She'd never seen the two of them so much as look at each other funny. Tease each other, yes. Argue, no. Something wasn't right and even a blind person would have been able to see it.

"It's nothing, I-"

"He's angry." Emma interrupted. "And he has every right to be. I screwed up." She took a deep breath as Regina helped her lean against the wall of the house. "I've been screwing up for three years."

"What is wrong with you two?" Regina looked at them, her forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Why won't someone just tell me what the hell is going on?"

"I sleep on my couch." Emma finally responded after several moments of silence. "I don't let anyone into my house because I live out of my living room. The entire upstairs looks just the way it did the day Amanda died. Only, I stuck her crime scene photos to the walls of our bedroom like it was a giant murder board."

Regina stepped away from the other woman, wondering now why she had pushed so hard for an answer. The last few weeks had been day after day of learning experiences, but today was topping them all and it wasn't even noon.

"I convinced myself that it was my fault she killed herself. That I must have done something wrong." Emma admitted weekly. Her girlfriend and best friend sat staring at her in disbelief. "I told myself if I could just figure out why, that I could let her go. But somewhere along the way, I just gave up. I stopped going up the stairs. I stopped caring. And I didn't want anyone talking about her because I was afraid I'd lose myself completely."

Emma wiped the tears from her eyes before they had the chance to spill and waited for someone else to say something.

"Well that's the most screwed up shit I have ever heard in my life, Swan." Neal blurted out, breaking the silence.

Just as Regina was about to get defensive, Emma responded.

"I know, right?" She added, nodding her head.

Neal shook his head as well and sat heavily on the front steps. Emma hobbled over to join him and Regina offered a hand to support her as she sat down next him, but didn't follow suit.

"I'm sorry." Emma spoke up again. "Both of you. And you're right, Neal…she deserved better than that. I just got so lost and angry."

"I was right here, Em." Neal turned to face his best friend. "I'm always here for you. You could have talked to me."

"Something happened." Emma shrugged. "I just shut down."

"You don't have to tell me, Em. I know. I watched it happen over and over." He sighed. "Until she came along."

Neal glanced at Regina and she caught his eye.

"What?" She looked back and forth between them. "What do I have to do with this?"

"He's just saying that you changed me." Emma answered. "And he's right."

"Me?" Regina pointed to herself. "What did I do?"

"I'm gonna stop you both right there." Neal jumped in, interrupting the conversation. "I just came by here because I was going to pick up a couple things for you. If you want, I can take some more of your clothes back to my place."

"I'm sorry, Neal." Emma replied. "I appreciate what you were trying to do. Regina can help me get what I need."

"In that case, I'm going to run back to the office for a little while. If you two need anything-"

"Thanks Neal." Regina smiled as she watched him make his way to his truck.

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	18. Chapter 18

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**CHAPTER 18**

The office was unusually quiet for a Friday afternoon, Neal thought to his self as he stepped off the elevator and headed toward his cubicle. There were a couple other agents standing around their own cubicles on the far end of the room, but it appeared everyone else had gone for the afternoon. Grabbing the file he'd returned for, Neal took a moment to straighten up his desk. Just as he was about to head back to the elevator, he thought he heard someone raising their voice in the direction of the Assistant Director's office. He paused, taking a moment to listen before he stepped carefully down the hall. It wasn't unusual for Ragan to yell. But naturally Neal found himself wondering who was on the receiving end. Sticking his head around the corner, he could see through the glass that surrounded his boss's office that the Assistant Director was alone and appeared to be on the phone. Now Neal was even more curious.

"I told you never to call here." Neal heard him say in an even tone. "I don't care. Your people are abusing the terms of our agreement. I let that little incident three years ago slide. I let _a lot_ of things slide. But if your people continue to come after mine, I'm afraid we won't be doing business any longer. I cannot continue to run them in circles. People are asking questions."

Neal's ears perked up as the conversation went on. He wasn't sure exactly what he was hearing, but he knew that it wasn't good. His boss was angry. But more importantly, it was sounding like he was mixed up in something he shouldn't be.

"No. Your people are getting out of control." Ragan's voice was rising. "You needed her out of your way, so I got her out of your way. I cannot control what she does on her own time, without making her even more suspicious. You know that. She doesn't let things go and this sure as hell didn't help! She'll keep digging until she brings us all down. Nine thirty? That should be late enough. I'll be there."

An awfully abrupt ending to a shouting match. Neal backed away slowly, having heard enough. He didn't have a clue who his boss was talking about but it wasn't good. Making his way to the elevator he realized he needed to get out of the building before making any calls. He had to call Emma. And where was Assistant Director Ragan going to be at 9:30? He needed to figure that out too. As soon as Neal reached the parking garage, he was on his phone dialing his best friend's number.

"Pick up, pick up, pick up, Em." Neal rushed towards his truck, anxious to get home. Just as he opened the door to his truck, Neal felt someone standing behind him and froze.

"Hello?" Emma answered the phone finally.

"Em, I'm gonna have to call you back." He hit the end button, but didn't turn around.

"Put the phone in your pocket and turn around slowly."

Neal did as he was told. He turned to find that there were not one but two men wearing plain clothes and dark glasses covering their eyes. They both quickly flashed a badge at him and Neal barely caught the DEA insignia before the badges were once again concealed.

"Let's go for a ride." The same one spoke again. Maybe the other one couldn't talk, Neal thought to his self. Unlikely.

"Where are we going?" Neal asked, climbing into his truck. Both men got into the back seat, but neither answered. Neal knew that he wasn't in any danger, but he was curious as hell about what was going on.

'The Talker' as Neal had named guy one in his head, spoke up as soon as they were clear of the parking structure. "Just keep driving. We're not going anywhere. All you need to do is listen. There's a meeting happening at 9:30 tonight at Mills' restaurant and you need to be there. We've been watching these people longer than you have, but the catch here is that you didn't know that Assistant Director Ragan had been compromised, until today."

"How long?" Neal asked and the man knew just what he meant. They didn't need to elaborate on how or where they got their information. What they knew about him or how they knew how much information Neal had himself. It was just the way things worked in the government and Neal had accepted that long ago. There were people who 'knew' things. People who 'knew' things about the people that 'knew' things. And essentially, there were people who didn't even exist.

"Long before you and your partner came along." He answered. "He's been getting paid to let Mills and his people slip around under the radar and conduct their business while he gave his own people false information and sent them in the wrong directions."

"So what does this have to do with me?" Neal's curiosity was piqued.

"We need someone to be there, tonight, so we can end this whole thing." The second guy finally spoke up. "We have a man undercover posing as a runner. He's been with the family for a couple of years now and Mills has finally pulled him into his immediate detail. That's how we got the information about the meeting tonight."

"And Ragan is going to be there." Neal added, wondering if the conversation he'd heard during his accidental eavesdropping had also been overheard by someone higher up as well. Briefly he wondered why Ragan would be so bold as to meet anyone there and risk jeopardizing his secret. "Why me? What am I supposed to do?"

**. . .**

Neal nearly ran his truck through the garage door pulling into the driveway. He'd driven aimlessly for two hours while the two DEA agents filled him in on everything they wanted him to know. Neal knew there was much more to the story, but he didn't ask, knowing that it would come out eventually. When they were done with him, he raced home, hoping to find Emma there. It was going on 8:00 when he walked into the house and found her sitting at the kitchen table with their files on Mills spread out in front of her.

"I thought you were going to call me back." She swiped at him with her free hand as she turned up a bottle of water with the other. "Oh. I finally sent a message to Regina's parents and let them know that she was still unsure. I didn't receive an answer, but I don't know what else to do. Where have you been?"

"Yeah. Uhm, I was kidnapped by two DEA agents and forced to drive around for two hours while they filled me in on all the sordid details of our boss's secret life."

Emma took another sip of her water and stared at him blankly from across the table. Neal sat down and folded his hands in his lap. He remained calm.

"You're serious." Emma said evenly.

"No shit I'm serious!" Neal responded, no longer able to contain the panic he was feeling on the inside.

"What are you saying? What happened?"

Neal told her everything from the minute he walked into the office and overheard the Ragan's conversation, to the last of it when he'd dropped the two men off in the middle of nowhere without a vehicle. Neal assumed that someone had been lying in wait to pick them up, but that was the least of his worries. From there he'd driven straight home, intent on filling in his partner and taking her with him to the restaurant.

"Where's Regina?" He asked. The question an afterthought considering everything that had happened in the last few hours.

"She went to Mills' place." Emma answered and then it hit her. "Damn it. She went to Mills' Cafe! We have to go!"

They both jumped up from the table and headed to the door. Emma not letting the cast hinder her mobility. By the time they arrived at Mills' restaurant, it was 9:30 on the dot and they parked across the street just in time to watch Assistant Director Ragan walk in through the front door. Before Neal could stop her, Emma was out of the truck and limping toward the vehicle in front of them, her crutch long forgotten, to get a better view inside the building. Knowing he couldn't just sit there, Neal followed Emma around the back side of his truck toward the position she'd taken on the sidewalk behind the other car.

"Do you see her in there?" Neal asked quietly.

"No, but her car is across the street, half a block down." Emma pointed in the direction of her girlfriend's car. Neal took her word for it, his eyes never leaving the restaurant. "What's the meeting about, Neal? Did they say?"

"No. And I don't see anyone but I know they're posted around here somewhere. I'm starting to wonder if we should even be here."

Emma looked at her best friend in disbelief. "Regina is in there. I'm not going anywhere until she's safe."

Neal knew she wasn't kidding. Emma wouldn't leave until Regina was free and clear from that place regardless of how it was going to happen. They watched quietly as Ragan approached the counter towards the back of the restaurant. Suddenly, a man neither of them had seen before stood up from another table to join him. Neal wondered if that was the agent he'd been informed of. Glancing down at his phone, Neal also wondered if he should call for back-up now.

"He has a gun!" Emma blurted out before she could stop herself, drawing Neal's attention to the man as he pointed a gun at Ragan, not bothering to conceal it.

"Damn." Neal muttered when people suddenly started fleeing the restaurant. Standing, he quickly dialed a familiar number as he ran to his truck for his weapon. When he shut the door, his partner was gone. He repeated his location twice before the person on the other end responded that back up was en route. The 'plan' had quickly gone out the window. "Damn it Em. Where the hell did you go?"

When he focused on the restaurant once more, he realized exactly where his best friend had gone. Everyone in the building was now standing in the middle of the restaurant, guns pointed in every direction and Regina was right in the middle of it all.

**. . .**

Emma rounded the backside of the building, not knowing exactly where she was going or what the plan was. But she knew that if she could just get herself inside and find Regina, she would figure it out from there. She was never much of a planner anyway. Things just usually worked out better for her when she didn't have a plan. Finding the back entrance to the building, Emma reached for the door knob, surprised when it clicked and opened up. She stepped in, gun first, listening for sounds of movement. The door she came in through led her into the kitchen and she turned her back to it long enough to lock the door so that no one could follow her in. There was a room to her right and she walked quietly towards the door, clearing each room in her path like she'd been trained, leaving no room for someone to surprise her from behind.

When she was sure that everyone had apparently made their way into the front of the restaurant Emma realized she needed to decide what was next. She knew from being in the front half of the restaurant that there was only one door that led from the kitchen to the service station and counter. Approaching it, she knew that if she stood to look through the small window in the door that she would run the risk of giving away her position. But there was little else she could do besides barging in with her gun waving, which she would have normally been tempted to do, were her girlfriend not involved.

Easing toward the door, Emma kept her gun close to her body as she attempted to get a glimpse of what was going on in the front half of the restaurant. From the bottom corner of the glass she could just barely see someone leaning against the wall to the left of the counter. A woman's shoulder and dark hair peaking around the corner, standing dangerously close to the Assistant Director. As she watched, Regina suddenly shifted uncomfortably, distracting everyone long enough to give Ragan the opening he needed to take a hostage.

There was yelling, none of which she understood and before she could stop herself, Emma burst through the door, pointing her gun at her boss, whose own gun was aimed at her girlfriend. A situation she never thought she'd be in. Unfortunately her gun was not the only one being aimed in a particular direction. Emma's gung-ho entrance had drawn a couple said weapons toward herself as well, but she paid them no attention as the room fell silent.

"Drop your weapon." Emma demanded, forgetting who the man in front of her was. She knew that Ragan would know her voice and hoped that he'd listen. But he didn't move. "I said drop your weapon and release her."

There was a counter between them and his back to Emma. She had the upper hand considering the larger percentage of weapons in the room were pointed in his direction. Not only had he grabbed his agent's girlfriend, he'd grabbed the only woman in the room who also happened to be extremely important to Mills. At the moment, Emma's odds were looking good regardless. Everyone in the room had one goal in mind. Regina's safety.

Emma watched as Mills instructed his men to turn their weapons away from her and back to Ragan. She took the opportunity to move, placing herself in a position to see her boss's face. She wanted to be able to look him in the eyes. Emma did her best not to show any emotion, but flinched internally when Regina struggled, causing Ragan to tighten his arm around her neck.

"Emma." Regina whimpered.

Ragan laughed and shook his head. The man didn't seem to care that there were multiple guns in the room pointed in his direction, ready to end his life at any given moment. Emma wondered briefly if he'd simply given up.

"Oh Swan." He smiled at her then. "What are you going to do?"

"Let her go, Sir." Emma demanded once again. "Let her go and I'll walk you out of here."

"You think these people are going to let you walk out of here?" Ragan laughed again. He couldn't seem to help himself. "They're sure as hell not going to let _me_ walk out of here. We know too much."

"I don't know what you've gotten yourself into, Sir, but this isn't how we deal with our problems." Emma talked to him like she would have talked to anyone in a hostage situation, hoping that she could keep up the façade long enough to get Regina out of this bad situation. "Clearly you are not welcome here and taking a hostage isn't helping your situation. Let her go. We'll go back to the Bureau and we'll call your lawyer."

"You sound like a textbook Swan." Ragan spat. "Shut the hell up!"

Emma tightened her grip on her weapon, but didn't falter in her position. She refused to lose her cool. And though she didn't know why, for some reason Mills and his people were allowing her to control the situation. So if she hesitated or let her boss affect her in any way, it could cost her Regina's life. And most likely her own.

"What do you want, Sir?" Emma decided to try a different approach. "If they're not going to let you walk out of here, then why harm the girl?"

"What do I want?" Ragan repeated. "Hmm, maybe I'd like a million dollars in large bills and a jet ready to fly me to any country I choose."

"Is that all?" Emma asked seriously.

"I'm not serious, Swan!" He shook his head. His face was red. He was beginning to sweat. "Are you stupid? Did all your training fly out the window when I grabbed your damn girlfriend?"

Emma stared blankly and refused to respond.

"What I want is for you to stop sticking your damn nose where it doesn't belong, Swan!" He tapped the gun on Regina's shoulder. "You know, it's not even me you should be pointing that gun at."

"The way I see it, Sir, right now you're the only one I should be pointing my weapon at."

"If only you'd kept digging, Swan. You might have found the answers you were looking for. You just gave up too soon! There were a couple times when I just knew you were going to figure all of this out. But I guess…you're just not as good as I thought." He laughed, but not to his self this time. This time Emma felt as though he was laughing at her. Changing the subject, he spoke again. "Did you tell your little girlfriend, yet, how her precious Uncle killed her parents and made it all look like an accident?"

Regina squirmed. And Emma stiffened up. At least she had the upper hand in this part of the conversation. Apparently her boss had no idea that Regina's parents were still alive either.

"Aw, she didn't tell you, did she?" Ragan said to Regina with mock concern, too worried about his own self to realize that Regina wasn't exactly reacting to his 'earth-shattering' news.

"Regina." It was Luis Mills' turn to speak up. His voice was firm and certain. "It was not supposed to happen that way. Your mother and father were never supposed to die. You must believe that."

_That answers so many questions. _Emma was only a little concerned that she would believe Mills herself and watched as Regina's eyes darted back and forth between Emma and her uncle. Suddenly Emma realized exactly why Mills had been so protective of Regina. He hadn't meant for anyone to die. He only meant to scare his brother back into the family. But for twenty years he'd lived with the guilt that he'd killed his own brother. Or so he thought.

"But the best part-" he paused, pulling Regina closer to his face, but never taking the gun off of her. "You're gonna love this part..."

"Stop talking!" Emma shouted at him, starting to feel a little desperate. "Stop talking, Sir, or I swear to the Gods I will shoot you! And there's not a person in this room who's going to care!"

"But it's the best part, Swan." He paused, sighing dramatically. Ragan knew that she was getting irritated with him. Irritated meant sloppy and he hoped that she would let her guard down long enough for him to make some kind of move. Though he had no plan at the moment. "Don't you want to know the truth about _Amanda_? And all this time you thought it was your fault?"

"Shut your mouth." Emma responded evenly, dropping the formalities.

"I guess in a way it kind of was our fault. If only you hadn't gotten in the way, Mills here might not have kidnapped her and left her dangling on your balcony."

"What are you talking about?" Emma's voice cracked, immediately giving her away. She couldn't ignore him anymore.

Regina gasped, turning her eyes toward her girlfriend, realizing what the man was trying to do. Realizing that what he was doing, was working. She watched as Emma's hands shook slightly. "Emma. Don't listen to him."

"No, please do." Ragan shook his head. "This is the man behind it all. He's the one you should go after. This is your chance, Swan. Take it!"

**. . .**

Outside, Neal watched helplessly as his best friend held her ground. He could see mouths moving, but had no idea what was going on. His back-up had begun to arrive and he filled them in on the situation and informed them that no one should make a move until they received a signal from the agent inside. Unfortunately Neal had no idea what the signal would be or if there would even be one because Emma had ran inside without a plan. All he could do was hope for an opening when they could rush in and take over.

**. . .**

Emma took a step toward him. Her face emotionless. "I will _shoot_ you."

"Don't come any closer, Swan." Ragan warned pressing the gun against Regina's temple causing her to wince. "Or you'll be down _another_ girlfriend."

Emma met Regina's eyes with her own and somehow she just knew the other woman was going to give her an opening to make something happen.

**. . .**

"Something's about to happen!" Watching his partner's body language, Neal warned the people around him. Several of which had taken up positions on either side of the front entrance to the restaurant, ready to storm the building.

**. . .**

Regina shifted once more, causing the other men in the room to straighten from their lax positions. As soon as they began to reposition their weapons to gain a more firm ground, Ragan's eyes shifted away from Emma, nervously and he pulled his gun away from Regina's temple, giving Emma the opening she needed. Before he knew what was happening, Regina grabbed his arm and slammed it onto the counter, taking the gun from his grasp. Emma was on him before he could fight back, taking him to the ground with both arms behind his back.

"_You_ could have saved her." Emma said between clenched teeth, shoving Ragan's face into the floor. "All of this is _your_ fault."

When she looked up, the room was full of men dressed in black from head to toe, all carrying much larger weapons than the ones she'd been previously dealing with. Reinforcements.

Finally. The good guys.

"Drop your weapons." Emma heard several of them shouting and one by one, the men slowly started making their way to the floor, shoving their guns in her direction. The undercover remained standing and offered to take over her position of holding Ragan down. She stepped back and watched as the man cuffed him not so gently and began reading him his rights.

Regina reached out and grabbed Emma's arm, startling her. As soon as she turned, Emma was pulling Regina into her arms.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you? Let me look at you." Emma was blurting out one question after another.

"Emma, stop." Regina smiled reassuringly, wrapping her arms around the other woman. "We're okay."

"I'm so sorry." Emma broke down, pulling Regina as close as possible, the emotions of the stand-off with her superior finally taking their toll. "I wanted to tell you, Regina. I-"

"Shh. Emma. Stop." Regina insisted, her features altering from reassuring to serious. "We can talk about it later."

"How can you be so calm? With everything that Ragan just told you?" Emma asked, followed by a deep breath, amazed with the woman in front of her.

"How can _you_ be?" Regina countered.

Emma took a moment then, having pushed the last few moments of revelation out of her mind. When it all came back, her shoulders fell a little and she inhaled deeply. Just as she was about to say something, she changed her mind shaking her head instead. It was that moment when Emma realized that she had finally let Amanda go. Her late girlfriend would finally receive the justice that Emma had been searching for all along. And when her boss had put Regina into a position that threatened to take her away from Emma, everything else had disappeared. What was important was right in front of her.

"Still thinking?" Regina asked, interrupting Emma's concentration, searching her eyes for an answer.

"There's too much to think about right now. I wouldn't know where to start." Emma admitted. "I'm just glad I got here when I did."

"My hero!" Regina pretended to swoon.

"I can't believe you grabbed Ragan like that." Emma chided Regina, giving her a disapproving look. "You could have been killed. Don't ever do anything like that again!"

"I knew you would meet me halfway and take care of the important part." Regina gave her a knowing smile that left Emma with a reassured feeling.

Emma sighed heavily, a hint of a smile creeping up onto her lips. "Regina Mills, I would meet you halfway to anywhere."

They both stood in the middle of the restaurant, FBI Agents all around them, combing the building for anything they could possibly use against Luis Mills and his associates. The men had all been ushered out into the street and Emma assumed they were already on their way to a holding cell somewhere. Emma refused to let go of the woman in her arms. Though she knew that they would both have to return to FBI headquarters. Regina for questioning and Emma for a debriefing. Had her boss not been mixed up in all of it, she knew he would be angry that she hadn't stayed away from the case like he'd ordered her to. Now she knew why he didn't want her anywhere near it. Glancing around the room, Emma smiled seeing her best friend headed in her direction.

"Are you two okay?" Neal asked, finally making his way inside. He grabbed them both, wrapping his arms around them. "That was insane! What were you thinking?"

Both women knew he was talking to Regina.

"When you want something bad enough, you'll do anything to get back to it." Regina responded, looking up at her girlfriend.

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	19. Chapter 19

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**CHAPTER 19**

After the incident at Mills Café, Regina had subtly suggested to Emma that they go back to her place, instead of going all the way back to her best friend's house in Capitol Heights. It wasn't that she had a problem with staying at Neal's house. In fact, staying there with Emma had been something of a bit of stress relief, regardless of the circumstances as to why they were there. If she was one hundred percent truthful, she really just needed to be alone with Emma and missed sleeping in her own bed in her own house. Emma didn't hesitate to agree. An agreement that landed them where they were at this very moment.

Both women had been quiet on the drive back to Regina's house. Neither one speaking up until they were safely inside, with the door locked behind them.

"I'd ask if you'd like a drink, but I'm not sure I have anything better than bottled water in the refrigerator at the moment." Regina said as they headed toward the living room. "I guess I'll have to call tomorrow morning and have some things delivered. We can make a list, firs-"

"Regina." Emma spoke up, grabbing her hand and interrupting the other woman mid-sentence. Regina stopped and turned, just shy of the entrance to the kitchen and looked at Emma expectantly, waiting for her to continue. Emma looked exhausted. But instead of saying anything else, she took a deep breath, staring into Regina's eyes as if trying to decide how to continue. When she came up blank, watching Regina waiting for her to say something, Emma felt her heart flutter at the look of complete patience and understanding on the other woman's face. It was then she decided she knew exactly why it was she had said her name.

"Emma?"

"No more talking." Emma managed to get out before she had Regina backed against the wall, both hands on each side of her face, kissing the brunette recklessly. And Regina wasted no time, returning Emma's sentiments, matching Emma, kiss for kiss. Clearly the threat to both of their futures had affected them deeply. Emma had Regina in her arms and was terrified of letting her go. So she didn't. Instead, she nipped and sucked on Regina's bottom lip, silently encouraging her to open up, allowing their tongues to slide against one another. The warm, wet, sensation enough to spike a fevered interest in taking things further.

It had seemed like an eternity since the night they'd finally slept together for the first time. And it was only now that Emma realized that even though she had enjoyed the night immensely and gotten plenty of pleasure out of their love making, it had been over way too soon and she hadn't allowed Regina to return the favor. Emma had worn Regina out quite thoroughly which hadn't exactly left her with the energy to actually carry on anyway.

"Upstairs." Regina said, pulling away long enough to get out the words and drag Emma towards the stairs. Once they made it to the landing, it was Regina this time that had Emma backed into the wall next to her bedroom door. She tugged at Emma's jacket, pushing it off her shoulders as Regina's lips found their way to the blonde's neck. She sucked firmly on her pulse point and felt Emma's entire body shudder from the sensation that shot through her veins. The jacket fell to the floor as Emma shook it free of her arms and hands. "The rest. It needs to go, too."

Emma took that moment to push off the wall and spun them both around, backing Regina into her bedroom, once again walking blindly towards her bed. Regina grabbed her by the shirt and crushed their lips together again, as if she was trying to lose herself in the other woman. Their breathing grew labored as they both refused to come up for air. But neither one noticed. Regina felt the back of her legs touch the bed and before Emma knew what was happening, Regina had them turned around once again and gently pushed Emma back until she had no choice but to sit or fall. As soon she hit the bed, Regina's mouth was on her once again. Kissing her everywhere. Hands roaming.

Emma's hands, returning the favor, found their way beneath the hem of Regina's shirt. She was pulling it up and over Regina's head without taking the time to ask, this time. Clearly, this time wasn't a time for asking anything. Both women knew what they wanted and finally, there was nothing that would stop them. The minute her blouse hit the floor, Emma's hands were back to exploring the exposed flesh in front of her. As soon as her hands had snaked their way around Regina's back, Emma allowed a slight smirk to grace her kiss bruised lips and surprised Regina by pulling her forward and flipping her down onto the bed.

The whole scene had quickly become a game of who's in charge, but neither woman was playing seriously. They both wanted the same thing. But the give and take was much too fun for either one of them to concede at this point. Breathless, Regina smiled up at her girlfriend, hovering above her. They both took a second to appreciate the moment. Both realizing what could have been lost this night and it was quite clear that this would not be a repeat performance of the gentle exploration of a new relationship. No. There was a fire building between the two of them and it was ready to explode in a moment's notice.

"I love you _so_ much Regina Mills." Emma whispered peppering light open mouthed kisses over every inch of exposed skin as Regina ran her hands through Emma's blonde locks, occasionally squeezing handfuls of the long curls. "Please…don't ever let me go again."

"Never." Regina smiled and pulled Emma down into another heated kiss which led to more roaming hands and pieces of clothing quickly becoming lost and forgotten. In a moment of distraction, Regina took the opportunity to gain the upper hand once again, effectively flipping Emma onto the bed and moving right with her, to straddle her hips between surprisingly strong thighs. Emma ran her hands up both legs before settling on purple lace clad hips, looking up at Regina who was now towering over her with a smug grin on her face. "I believe it's my turn to be on top."

Emma's eyes roamed wildly taking in Regina's, almost but not quite completely bare, body. Taking the moment to breathe and fully appreciate the woman on top of her. But the moment didn't last long when she felt Regina move her hips, effectively snapping her back to reality.

"Now that I have your attention…" Regina smirked, watching as Emma's eyes darkened with barely concealed want. She knew that Emma was fighting the urge to take control of the situation and decided to make the battle just a little bit harder. One hand bracing herself on the bed, Regina leaned forward and captured Emma's mouth with her own, in a lip searing kiss while her free hand went straight to her back and unhooked her bra. Regina pulled away suddenly, causing Emma to attempt to follow her up, lips still pursed and searching for Regina's. She was quickly put back in her place when Regina placed a hand on her chest and shook her head slowly. "You don't get to move yet."

"But-"

"Shhh." Regina winked at her then. "You're the one who said no more talking. I suggest you start taking your own orders, Agent Swan."

At Emma's look of amusement and frustration, Regina watched her quickly close her mouth in attempt to obey. When she was satisfied that Emma wasn't going anywhere, Regina grabbed the front of her bra and slowly pull the matching purple obstruction slowly off and down her arms. She knew that Emma was dying to touch her. She could feel the need flowing off of her in waves. Tossing the offensive item to the side, Regina leaned forward, slowly, bracing herself with her hands on either side of the blonde's head.

She was teasing Emma relentlessly, hovering just above her and intentionally positioned her exposed breasts in Emma's face. Emma's mouth fell open at all the racing thoughts in her head and Regina surprised her further by teasing her warm lips with a hardened nipple. And before Regina could stop her, Emma flicked the firm tip with her tongue, before wrapping her arms around Regina's back and pulling her down just enough to take the taunting flesh into her wet mouth. Regina gasped as Emma bit down gently, taking her by surprise. After a moment, she moved to the other nipple, sucking, licking and nibbling on the tender flesh. Though she was enjoying the feel of Regina's rocking hips against her own, Emma knew she couldn't take much more.

"Regina. Please." It came out almost as a whimper, begging the woman in control, to do something. "I need you. I- I want you. So much."

Regina smiled down at the blonde beneath her. As her eyes searched Emma's face she felt as if her heart could beat out of her chest at any moment. She loved this woman more than life itself and tonight, someone had tried to take that away. From both of them. Never again.

Regina sat up then, pulling Emma with her. Without suggestion or any words at all, they both reached for the bottom of Emma's shirt, pulling it off in a hurry before making quick work of removing the rest of their clothes. It had been too long. Far too long. And the feeling of skin on skin was a sensation neither of them had realized they'd missed so badly until this very moment. Completely divested of their clothing, Regina shoved Emma roughly, back down onto the bed before she was on her once again. Teeth raking down the blonde's neck as Emma dug her fingernails into the brunettes back. It was sure to leave marks, but neither woman seemed to mind. Emma's back arched off the bed, desperate for as much contact as possible. Regina didn't hesitate, further enticing Emma as she rolled her hips in need of gaining some kind of friction, causing the sensitive skin of naked breasts and hardened nipples to graze against each other.

Regina broke free of Emma's neck and chest and quickly began kissing, sucking and biting her way down the other woman's body. Emma's hands never once leaving Regina's own body, desperate to feel her skin beneath needy hands and fingertips. When she was almost out of reach, Emma's hands found their selves tangled in brunette locks, reluctant to let go. Regina took that moment to place open mouthed kisses on each of Emma's hip bones before kissing her way further south. Emma knew where Regina was headed and silently thanked whatever Gods existed that she'd been lucky enough to have this woman back in her life.

Distracted by her thoughts, Emma jumped, gasping slightly as she felt warm lips against her inner thigh, mere inches from where she needed those lips most. "Regina."

Emma lifted her head from its previous position of thrown back against a pillow and watched as her girlfriend settled herself comfortable at the end of the bed. Regina pushed Emma's legs apart, none too gently before wrapping her arms beneath each one. She stole a quick glance up at the blonde before leaning in to taste the offering that lay spread out before her. Emma's head fell back then, a raspy groan escaping her throat as she felt Regina's warm mouth right where she'd imagined having it so many times before. Her chest rising and falling with each swipe of the brunettes tongue. Regina teased Emma's clit with gentle flicks of the tip of her tongue before burying it inside of the blonde beneath her, not wanting to lose a single drop from the liquid center dripping in front of her. Emma was wet beyond wet and Regina smiled against those lips knowing she was the reason.

Emma rolled her hips meeting Regina with every stroke her of her tongue. Her fingers tangled in dark brown locks as Emma felt her fingernails digging into her thighs as Regina fought to hold Emma still. Regina knew there were would be nail marks in the morning and that one simple little thought turned her on even more. A low growl escaped her lips as she wrapped them around Emma's throbbing clit. The vibration sending an almost electrical shock through Emma's entire body. Regina knew it had an effect when Emma's body came off the mattress nearly throwing her off. This caused her to smile again and this time she was humming intentionally now that she knew the kind of results she would get.

"Regina. Oh- oh god. Regina, I-"

"Shhh…" Regina shushed Emma gently, her mouth never leaving the swollen lips she was kissing. She flicked Emma's clit again. "I've got you, Emma. I've got you."

She could hear Emma's breathing becoming more frantic and labored and knew the blonde was close. Unfortunately for Emma, Regina wasn't quite ready for the moment to be over. They could go again. There was nothing and no one to stop them now. But still, Regina refused to let this first time be over so quickly. And much to Emma's dismay, Regina pulled away after placing a soft kiss on soaking wet lips and crawled her way up the blonde's body. Before Emma could protest, Regina brushed the hair from Emma's face, her right hand stopping to rest on the blonde's face. For a brief moment, their eyes locked together before Regina was kissing Emma like she might never have the chance to again.

Their tongues slid together allowing Emma to taste herself on Regina's lips and a small whimper escaped her throat. So distracted, Emma didn't feel Regina's right hand sliding down her chest and over her hip until she felt Regina's fingers slipping through soaking wet folds. Regina teased her gently, breaking the kiss to look Emma in the eyes again.

"_You_ don't ever leave me again." Regina pleaded with her, resting her forehead against Emma's, allowing her eyes to fall shut for a moment. Not even realizing her eyes had begun to well up with tears, a small tear escaped from beneath Regina's lids and rolled down Emma's cheek. "Ever." She whispered.

"I promise." Emma kissed her then. Their legs tangled together, Emma pulled Regina close and when their bodies fell together, closing the distance that had been between them, Regina slid three fingers through Emma's warm wet center before burying them inside of her. She felt Emma's walls tighten around her and slowly pulled out until her fingers were almost free before sliding them back inside. There were no words for how Regina was feeling in that moment. But she'd never felt more connected to anyone in her entire life. She had one leg thrown over Emma's and as their bodies rocked together, Emma raised her leg to put some pressure against Regina's dripping wet center.

At the feel of the warm liquid covering her thigh, Emma's hands slid down Regina's back, stopping so that she had two handfuls of ass. Emma dug her nails into the pliable flesh and encouraged Regina to ride her thigh, matching each thrust of her fingers inside the blonde. This wasn't the first time. Their first time, Emma had been gentle. And sweet. This time, Emma needed Regina like she needed air and Regina wasn't hesitating to let Emma breathe her in. Her head fell forward onto Emma's chest and she took one of Emma's hardened nipples into her mouth, sucking and biting until she felt Emma thrashing beneath her. Emma was close and so was she. Regina knew that if she timed it just right, both of them would come together and the idea of that was nothing short of perfect in her mind.

"I love you, Emma." Regina choked out, taking the other stiff peak between her lips. She sucked on the nipple gently and barely a second later she bit down harder than she'd intended but the result was all the same. Emma's body tightened beneath her. As soon as Regina felt Emma constricting around her fingers, she added one more and thrust inside the blonde a couple more times before she quickly followed suit, collapsing on top of the other woman.

They lay there silently. The moments ticking by unnoticed. Both breathing heavily and a soft sheen of sweat covering both of their bodies. When Emma finally started to relax, she realized she was still squeezing Regina's ass and that her nails were buried quite deftly into the brunettes backside. She let go quickly and felt Regina flinch.

"Oh my god, Regina. I'm so s-"

"If you apologize right now, I will kick you out of this bed Agent Swan." Regina laughed to herself, her head resting on Emma's chest, listening to the rapidly beating heart beneath her.

**. . . **

"You're sure this is what you want to do?" Regina asked as she stood there eyeing the slightly taller woman next to her. Emma swung the hammer one last time, hitting the top of a sign post she'd driven into the ground of her front yard. The sign read 'For Sale'. "You could always rent it out, you know?"

"I know." Emma nodded. "But there's nothing here for me anymore. Just bad memories."

"They're not all bad, Emma." Regina corrected her. "Don't say that."

"No. But I tainted all of the good memories when I spent the last three years wallowing in my own self misery, focusing on that one bad moment." She took a deep breath and hooked her arm in Regina's. They started towards the house and Emma spoke up again. "I can take the good memories with me no matter where I go. I just want to leave the rest behind."

Regina nodded, understanding where the other woman was coming from. It had been four weeks since the arrests of her boss and Regina's family had been made. And Regina had noticed a slow change in her girlfriend. One for the better. She could see the wounds slowly beginning to heal and Regina found comfort in the knowledge that they would be able to move on with their lives and begin a new one together. Emma had even allowed Regina to come into the house to help her with the little bit of packing that she wanted to get done, though she had gone in beforehand and removed the crime scene photos and cleaned up the master bedroom. All of it had been made easier due to the fact that her doctor had removed her cast two weeks prior.

"The movers are coming tomorrow to get the things we packed up. Everything else is going to stay here."

"Are you sure?" Regina questioned again. "Emma you know I don't mind you bringing your things into my place. I want it to be _our_ place."

Reluctantly Emma had allowed Regina to talk her into moving into her house under the condition that they would look for a new place to move into together. She hadn't been keen on the idea at first, but after Regina had hounded her relentlessly, she couldn't help but give in. There weren't any real reasons for her to resist. It wasn't as if they weren't financially equal considering Emma's family was more than well off. Even if she had never depended on the trust her parents had set up for her as a child.

However, there was the issue of Regina's uncle who had somehow managed to filter every last dime he had into her own personal bank account the moment he'd been taken into custody those few weeks ago. The only thing they'd been able to determine is that he must have realized that all of his funds would be seized along with anything else deemed as evidence. Luis Mills apparently preferred that his niece have the money instead. And luckily for Regina there was nothing the law could do about it because none of the deposits had ever been traceable to any illegal activity.

"I kept what I wanted to keep. The furniture can stay." Emma took a seat on the front step and pulled Regina down next to her. She leaned into her, their arms still entwined. "The realtor says it could be a perk to a potential buyer."

"Okay." Regina leaned over brushing her shoes off from their walk through the freshly mowed yard. It was early November and starting to get cool, but Emma had wanted to give the lawn one last manicure before she left it behind. They both sat in silence for several minutes lost in thought and Regina decided to change the subject. "Have you given any more thought to what we talked about last week?"

During the weeks since the incident at Mills' restaurant, they'd had plenty of time to discuss the things that Emma's boss had revealed to both of them. The knowledge that Regina's Uncle had been behind her parent's supposed death had affected her deeply, changing every thought and feeling she had towards her family and the things they were ultimately capable of. And with her Uncle awaiting incarceration, Regina was free to break away from those who had been behind it all. She thought to herself that maybe she would finally be ready to talk to Emma about meeting the people who said they were her mother and father.

As for Emma, finding out that her previous girlfriends death had not been a suicide, but in fact murder, had come as less of a shock than it probably would have for most. From the beginning Emma had thought there was more. But after years of no leads, there had been nothing left for her to do, but accept it for what it had appeared to be. Suicide. Knowing that her death had been caused by the man who had raised Regina Mills was of no consequence to her now. Regina wasn't responsible for his actions. They had both been hurt by him. But finding each other in the midst of it all, had somehow softened the blow of his many unspeakable acts.

"I think I'd like to go today." Emma finally answered after giving Regina's question some thought. She confirmed her answer with a firm nod.

"If it's okay, I'd like to go with you. Whenever you're ready." Regina reassured the other woman with a pat on the leg. These days they were hard pressed to separate for more than a few minutes at a time. Their bodies always connecting in one way or another, whether it be a lingering touch or just a soft brush of fingers here and there in passing.

"That means a lot." Emma smiled at the other woman. "I should get cleaned up first? I'm filthy from all the yard work we did today."

"Whatever you need." Regina laced her fingers with Emma's. "Cedar Hill isn't too far from my place. We can get cleaned up and then we'll go."

Emma nodded and stood, pulling Regina to her feet as well. She kept Regina's fingers tangled in her own. As they stepped down into the yard, Emma turned to give the house one last look before they headed towards the curb where Regina's car sat waiting to take them one step closer to their future together.

**. . . **

Cleaned up and feeling a little more human Emma waited anxiously for Regina to navigate the many twists and turns of Cedar Hill. Several days prior, Neal had given Regina the directions for finding the spot they were looking for in case Emma happened to ever change her mind about wanting to go there. He'd given Regina a small slip of paper and told her that she might be in need of the information now that Emma had received some semblance of closure where her late girlfriend was concerned. Emma remained still in the passenger seat as the car came to a stop. What neither Regina nor Neal knew is that Emma didn't need directions.

Regina didn't say a word as she slipped the car into park and turned the key in the ignition. The silence was deafening as the engine stopped running. Regina wasn't sure what to say and didn't want to rush Emma into getting out of the car so she waited patiently for her to make the decision. It had been three years after all. There was no need to rush now.

"Flowers." Emma's voice broke through the silence. She looked over at Regina then with a mixture of sadness and guilt in her eyes. "I'm such an _idiot_. I should have gotten flowers."

Regina smiled and with her left hand she brushed Emma's cheek with the back of her fingers as if to calm her down. Leaning into the back behind Emma's seat with her free right hand, she grabbed what she was looking for and told Emma to close her eyes. When she did Regina placed the thing in front of her and told her to open them once again.

It took Emma a moment to register what she was seeing in front of her. Slowly a smile began to form on her lips, reaching all the way to her eyes. Regina returned the sweet gesture and waited for Emma to say something.

"How? I mean when did you- I-" Emma fumbled for something to say. She had no idea when or how Regina had gotten the bouquet, but yet here sitting across from her in the car, Regina was holding a simple yet beautiful mix of roses and wild flowers. Emma reached out to take them and pulled them up to her nose. "They're beautiful Regina. And they smell wonderful. Thank you."

Her words of appreciation were simple. Just like Emma. She didn't need to say more. The way she said them was more than enough.

"For some reason, every couple of days there's been this old man pushing a little cart of fresh flowers down the sidewalk in front of our house." Regina explained, not missing a beat when she referred to her home as 'theirs'. "You were upstairs getting ready and I saw him out the window." She shrugged. "I wanted to surprise you."

Emma closed her eyes and swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat. She didn't want to cry, but the urge was there. She wasn't prepared for this.

"No need to be emotional." Regina whispered and leaned across the console. Her face inches from Emma's; she waited for her to open her eyes. "I love you."

Emma opened her eyes then. The tears were there, but refused to fall. She smiled and leaned in to the younger woman who was so close to her at the moment that she could feel Regina's breath on her lips. Emma captured Regina's mouth with a kiss that lingered but wasn't persistent or demanding. It was just nice to feel the other woman's lips against her own. It made her feel secure.

"I don't know what I would do without you. And I almost lost you." Emma took a deep breath and pressed her forehead against Regina's taking a moment to prepare herself for what she was about to do. Reaching up, Regina ran her fingers through Emma's hair and held onto her. She wasn't quite sure what Emma needed but wanted to let her know that she was there for her. Once she calmed herself, Emma sat back and took another moment to look at the bouquet in her hands, contemplating what to say. All she could come up with was, "Thank you."

"You never have to thank me, Emma. From now until forever, it's you and me. I will always do _anything_ for you." Regina leaned forward to place another light kiss on her girlfriends' lips. When she sat back, Regina ran a hand through her dark brunette hair and took a deep breath. She didn't want to push, but had the feeling that Emma may need one to do what they had come to Cedar Hill to do. "Are you ready? Do you want me to get out with you?"

Emma shook her head to clear her thoughts. She pursed her lips and let out a deep breath. Shaking her head, she finally spoke up. "Give me a second?"

Regina didn't need her to say more. She patted Emma's leg for encouragement and watched as she got out of the vehicle and softly closed the car door behind her. Regina knew that Emma would let her know when she was ready for her to join her.

**. . .**

As she walked around the car, Emma paused when her feet reached the grass that ran along the edge of the road. Looking out at the rows of headstones that lay in front of her, she took one step and then another. Emma felt her chest tighten the further she walked but kept her head up, taking in the view around her. The 150 acre cemetery was covered in foliage and large trees, some of which were well more than a hundred years old. For such a sad place, Emma thought that it was beautiful. Amanda's family couldn't have chosen a better place for her. Emma didn't know just how far she had walked from the car, but when she reached the second tree, she stopped and turned to her left. Just in front of her, there was a simple headstone, obsidian in color with Amanda's name. Amanda Beth Tyler.

But the details weren't important. She already knew all of those. Kneeling down, Emma laid the flowers against the headstone. Once she got them settled she reached out and touched the simple white lettering, tracing each one with her finger before placing her hand flat against the picture they'd chosen to place on top. It was the first picture of Amanda she'd looked at in almost two years and Emma realized that she'd forgotten just how beautiful Amanda Tyler had been. Until now, every vision of her that she'd had in her head had been tainted by the horrific scene of the night Amanda had died. Her hand slipped from headstone and Emma sat back on the grass and pulled her legs to her chest. She rested her forehead on her knees and shook her head.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered still shaking her head as if it would make all of the bad thoughts go away. The tightness in her chest left her feeling short of breath. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there. That I didn't protect you. That I believed you did this to yourself. I should have known. I just- should have known."

**. . .**

Regina watched from the car as Emma sat rocking herself on the grave of her previous girlfriend. She knew she needed to give her a minute, but Regina didn't think she could stand to watch Emma much longer. Getting out of the car, she shut the door quietly and leaned back against it to watch for a moment longer. When Emma raised her head and propped her chin on her knees, Regina knew that it wouldn't be much longer before Emma called her over. She could feel a tightening in her chest and it took all she had not to go to her right then. Something about Emma was constantly drawing Regina in. And she knew that her persistent need to be close to Emma should have probably concerned her, but being together just felt right.

**. . .**

"I'm sorry I haven't been here to see you." Emma whispered, her words floating away with the wind. She knew that there was no one there to hear them, but something about saying it out loud made her feel a little better. "I haven't been a very good person since you left. But I'm sure you know that. I'm sorry for that too. It's not who I am. But I was just so angry inside."

The words caught in her throat and Emma felt sick. It wasn't until this moment that she realized just how angry she had really been. She had refused to visit Amanda's grave because she thought she'd left her on purpose. She'd given herself to countless numbers of women trying to fill the void that Amanda's absence had caused. All the time not knowing that Amanda hadn't left by choice and suddenly Emma wished that she could take it all back.

"I met someone." Emma focused her gaze on the picture on the headstone. It made her feel as if Amanda was there, listening to her words. "I know it seems weird to say, but I think you would like her. She's smart. And she's funny. And she's so talented. And there's something about her soul that makes me feel human again. Like we were meant to be together. In this life and so many others. And I know that makes it sound like what we had wasn't real…but it was. I was happy when you were here. You always made me happy. I wouldn't trade my time with you for anything in this world. I miss you so much."

Emma buried her face in her knees once again and sighed heavily. She was beginning to feel as if a weight had been lifted off of her chest. As she sat there quietly trying to remember all of the good times she'd had with Amanda, she felt a presence and quickly looked up. When she raised her head Regina was only a few steps away. She smiled up at her girlfriend and waited for Regina to take a seat next to her in the grass. Regina draped an arm over Emma's back and the other she wiggled into the space between her legs and chest, engulfing her in a tight embrace. Emma let go of her legs and wrapped her arms around the other woman.

"How do you always know when I need you?" Emma closed her eyes and took in the feel of Regina's embrace, the scent of her hair and listened to their steady breathing as she waited for a reply.

"I can always feel you." Regina shrugged. Letting go of Emma she leaned into her and turned to look at the headstone.

"I was here." Emma spoke up, changing the subject and Regina looked over at her once again, unsure of what Emma meant. "Neal doesn't know it…but I came to the funeral. I just didn't want anyone to see me."

Regina swallowed the lump that suddenly formed in her throat, but didn't say anything.

"I was just so angry I thought it would be best if I stayed away from everyone." Emma stared down at the grass and picked at it as she talked. "Amanda's family hates me. They blamed me and they didn't want to see me there, even though we were together all that time. So I stayed out of the way. I suppose I should contact them and let them know that she didn't do this to herself. I doubt the Directors' knowledge of the truth will ever go into her file. No one is going to officially change the findings. But…they deserve to know the truth."

"Yes. They do." Regina nodded in agreement. "You can do it when you're ready."

Emma nodded. They both sat there in silence for what seemed like an eternity. The sun was shining down on them through the trees and Emma looked up taking in the warmth that was gracing them for a brief moment. It was the middle of November and she knew that the late afternoon chill would start to set in any moment.

"Thank you for bringing me here." Emma spoke up and looked around to take in their surroundings one last time. "I'm ready to go now."

Regina didn't question her, but instead she stood and helped the other woman from the ground as well. Emma pulled Regina into her arms for a moment. When she pulled back, Emma captured Regina's eyes with her own and spoke once again. "I love you, Regina Mills. All the way to the moon."

Regina smiled, the effort reaching her eyes. "Is that where you'd like to go?"

"I'm going wherever you're going." Emma smiled and Regina laughed as she stepped back and pulled Emma towards the car.

"Then let's go home."

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	20. Chapter 20

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**AUTHORS NOTE: I sincerely apologize for taking so long to get this new chapter out there. I got a little stuck and it took me a minute to sort things out! I really hope it's up to par and that no one is disappointed! And as always...ANY feedback at all, is always good for the writers ego! :)**

**CHAPTER 20**

Emma opened her eyes to a dark room. Just a sliver of light filtering through the closed curtains. She knew it was morning. She just refused to accept the fact that it would soon be time to get out of bed and face the day. Instead, Emma snuggled closer, pulling the warm body her arm was wrapped tightly around, a little bit closer. She buried her face in Regina's hair, breathing deeply. The smell of her shampoo was intoxicating and Emma unintentionally let a sigh of contentment slip past her lips.

Regina was dead to the world in her arms and Emma couldn't help but smile to herself. The night before, they'd gone out to dinner with Regina's best friend Kathryn who had insisted that she finally introduce Emma. After her Uncle's arrest, Regina had finally talked to Kathryn and told her everything about the woman she was seeing and the events leading up to the standoff at Luis Mill's restaurant. Regina knew that if she didn't tell Kathryn, then it was likely she'd learn about it on the news and that was something Regina just did not want to happen.

The dinner had gone off without a hitch and though Emma had no doubt, she found that she genuinely liked Kathryn and was happy to know that Regina had more than one person in her life who cared about her well-being. With her entire world getting turned upside down, a little bit of stability and certainty couldn't hurt. Regina burrowed closer and a soft noise of content escaping her lips pulled Emma from her thoughts. She rose up slightly, trying not to move the other woman too much, trying to get a better look at the brunette's sleep softened features.

The light filtering in caught a tiny object hanging from the center of the curtain rod and the glare grabbed Emma's attention from the corner of her eye. Unfortunately, with the light hitting the tiny object and her distance from the window, Emma couldn't quite make out what the shiny item was. Making a mental note, Emma told herself she would investigate it once they were both awake and out of bed. Until then, she pushed it out of her mind in lieu of enjoying the feel of the warm naked body pressed against her own.

For sheer selfish reasons Emma allowed her free hand, the one not underneath the pillow where Regina's head was resting, to roam freely needing to feel the soft skin beneath her fingertips. When her palm grazed a naked breast, Emma felt Regina stir and roll her body against hers. Even asleep, Regina had no trouble reacting to her girlfriend's touch. Fortunately and unbeknownst to Emma, Regina had been awake almost as long as her girlfriend had been. Emma groaned quietly and took a deep breath, trying her best not to react, but Regina felt bad for teasing her. With the beginnings of a smile twitching at the corner of her lips, Regina moved, slowly turning in Emma's arms.

"You've been awake this whole time, haven't you?" Emma spoke quietly and smiled softly. There was no accusation or irritation in her voice.

"Good morning." Regina smiled back, burying her face in Emma's neck, breathing her in. She placed a trail of light kisses down her neck and across her chest before pulling back to look into her girlfriends eyes again. "How long were you planning to tease me?"

"Tease is such a _harsh_ word." Emma smiled. "I was going more for 'extremely pleasant way to wake up'. I guess it didn't work since you were already awake."

"Try again tomorrow?" Regina's smile widened as she leaned in to give Emma a proper good morning kiss.

"And every morning after."

**. . .**

Showered and dressed, Emma approached the window with the intention of opening the curtains, waiting for Regina to finish getting ready for the day ahead of them. The small object that had caught her attention earlier, once again grabbed her eye and reminded her of her previous curiosity. Reaching up, Emma grabbed the small thing to stop if from moving and unhooked it from the rod. Looking closely, Emma's brow furrowed at the corked vile of shiny white glitter. It was hanging from a thin silver chain and Emma couldn't help feeling the familiarity of the necklace in her hand.

"Regina?" Emma spoke up, turning to look over her shoulder to where her girlfriend sat in front of a large mirror and make-up table. "What is this?"

"What's what?" She asked, looking back at Emma through the mirror. Regina leaned in, making sure that her eye make-up was just right. When Emma didn't respond, she turned in the chair to find her girlfriend staring at something in her hand. Regina quickly realized Emma had the small chain and vile of 'dust' in her hand, having taken it down from where it had been hanging since she'd moved into her house. "It's silly. Just a bottle of glitter. I've had it hanging in the window forever. Sometimes it catches the light just right and reflects into the bedroom."

"I've never noticed it before." Emma's voice sounded far away which didn't go unnoticed by the other woman. "I used to have something like this when I was little."

Finished, Regina stood and made her way to where Emma remained standing in front of the window. She wrapped her arms around the blonde from behind and propped her chin on Emma's shoulder. "Someone gave it to me after my parent's died. Well…when I thought they had died." Regina huffed at the ridiculousness of that entire thought. "Anyway. When I moved in, I hung it in the window to remind me of my hopes and dreams."

Emma reached up and returned the chain to its previous hanging position then turned in her girlfriend's arms. She kissed her soundly on the lips. "I think it must have helped." She said before kissing her again. This time with more purpose. "Is it time?"

"It is." Regina smoothed down the collar of Emma's red leather jacket and took a deep breath.

"Before I forget, there's something I want to ask you." Emma said. Her tone was verging on reluctance, but Regina knew it was more like uncertainty. She watched Emma patiently, waiting for the impending question. "You know how I have the whole Thanksgiving dinner thing with my parents, coming up?"

"Yes."

"Well, I was wondering if…maybe you'd go with me?" Emma looked at Regina through hooded lashes, hoping for a yes.

"Emma." Regina paused, a smiling creeping onto her face. "Why would you think I'd want to be anywhere else?"

"I just- I didn't want to…assume." Emma bit her lip, feeling slightly insecure. She knew her parents would quite willingly approve of Regina as her girlfriend. She just hadn't welcomed them into her personal life since Amanda had died and they hadn't pushed either, which Emma found herself thankful for on a regular basis. She wasn't proud of the life she had been living since her previous girlfriend's death. But she wasn't that person anymore and bringing someone to Thanksgiving dinner was going to be a big deal. Especially considering she wasn't planning on telling them until she walked into the house with her girlfriend in tow.

"From now on…" Regina spoke up, interrupting Emma's thought process. "I would appreciate it if you would _assume_ that wherever you go, I go."

Emma flashed a one hundred watt smile. "Deal."

"You're stuck with me Agent Swan." Regina laughed, tugging Emma by the hand towards the door.

**. . .**

** "**Are you sure you're ready for this?" Their roles reversed, Emma took Regina's hand, stopping her from reaching for the handle of the car door. Before they got out, she wanted to make sure the other woman was certain about her decision to finally meet her mother and father. It had taken her several weeks to finally talk to Emma about her options, since finding out that her parents were not deceased like she had been led to believe for the past 16 years. Emma had given her time to think it over and hadn't broached the subject with her since that day in the hospital when she'd given her the news.

She wanted more than anything for Regina to meet her family and to get to know them, but she also knew that Regina had spent the majority of her life believing she never would. Adjustments would have to be made, but she was hopeful that in time, Regina would be able to trust them again and maybe even build a strong relationship with them, like the one that she was robbed of so long ago.

Regina had agreed to meet her family, but the word had been passed along via her girlfriend. Emma had never liked being a middle man, but given the circumstances she had been hard pressed to complain. When she'd called to let them know that Regina was finally ready to meet them, they were more than happy to hear the news. Emma had made the arrangements so that the meeting would be on their terms. Nathan and Diana Thompson, or actually Henry and Cora Mills had agreed to meet the two women in a public place but Emma knew that the visit would most likely be an emotional one and struggled to decide what the best location would be.

She didn't want the location to be so public that they wouldn't have privacy and finally chose Anacostia Park. It was a 1200 acre park that stretched along the Anacostia River. It had ball fields, picnic facilities and several walking trails. There was plenty more the park had to offer, but Emma had never taken advantage of its many offerings. Until Regina, she'd never been interested in all the sightseeing and outdoor activities that DC had to offer. Anacostia Park was one of the places Regina had chosen to go on one of their outings not so long ago. They had strolled through Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, enjoying the sun and each other's company. Emma had thoroughly enjoyed that day, so it seemed fitting that Regina should meet her parents there.

"I promise." Regina smiled at the woman sitting across from her in the driver seat. They'd taken Emma's 370, after Emma offered to drive. Regina took a deep breath and released it slowly, trying to calm herself. She had no idea what to expect or how she was going to react. Would there be anger? Or tears? Resentment or joy? "I know I should be excited, but I'm too nervous to think clearly."

"They're good people Regina. Just hear them out and I think you'll be just fine." Emma offered her a sympathetic smile. She knew her girlfriend was anxious and Emma really couldn't blame her. But deep down she had a feeling that everything was going to work out just fine. "Ready?"

Regina nodded in response and Emma exited the car, quickly walking around to open her girlfriend's door. Emma extended her arm and gave a slight bow as Regina climbed out of the low riding sports car. Regina smiled at Emma's gesture, realizing the attempt to relieve some of the anxiety she was feeling. She was thankful. Emma shut the door gently behind her and stepped in close, wrapping her arms around the woman standing in front of her. She regarded her carefully.

"How do you want to do this?" Emma asked, wanting to make sure everything was perfect. Regina didn't answer. Instead, she was staring blankly at Emma's chest, lost in thought and thankful for the moment Emma was giving her to think the scenario through. Emma looked over her shoulder in the direction of the footpath that would lead them into the park. They'd taken it once before. Both women were familiar with it, but still Emma felt the need to talk about it. "When we walk around that corner up there, your parents are going to be waiting for you at one of those tables. I can…I can hold your hand and take you to them. Or I can stand back and wait. Whatever you need. We do this your way. On your terms Regina. Not theirs. Not mine."

Regina nodded to let Emma know she was listening. Taking a deep breath, she nodded again. "Okay."

It wasn't the answer to the question Emma had asked. But it was enough. She knew when Regina saw her parents; Emma would get the answer she needed. Reluctantly, Emma pulled back but took Regina's hand as they took one step and then another toward the path that, if followed, would take them on a long guided tour through the park and drop them back off right where they started. But today they wouldn't be following it all the way through. Instead, they were barely walking into the park. Just far enough to find the picnic tables and benches where they knew Regina's parents were waiting. Hopefully patiently.

As they approached the curve in the path that would open up into the clearing they were headed to, Regina involuntarily walked slower. Emma let her set the pace and kept up with her girlfriend, knowing that she was feeling anxious. Emma could feel it rolling off her in waves and her heart ached for the woman whose hand she was firmly holding onto. Squeezing said hand, Emma stopped in her tracks just as Regina did. Several yards into the park, Regina's parents sat looking out at the people scattered around enjoying the day. Emma felt Regina freeze up next to her, her eyes never leaving her parents backs. She knew Regina had pictures of her parents from before they had, to her knowledge, died but clearly time was of no consequence. She didn't need to see their faces to know who they were.

"Regina?" Emma spoke carefully. Before Regina could respond, Henry Mills turned around as if he somehow knew the two of them were standing there. They watched silently as he spoke and touched his wife's back, causing her to turn quickly. Regina was shaking. Emma could feel her through their joined hands and was helpless as to what she should do. Just as she was about to speak up again, Regina turned her back to her parents and Emma saw the tears in her eyes that were threatening to spill over.

"Emma, I can't do this." Regina's voice cracked. Her eyes searching Emma's for some kind of answer. She closed her eyes then, shaking her head as if it would make everything go away. She opened them once more when she felt Emma's hands on her shoulders, sliding down her arms. "Tell me what to do."

"Regina…it's okay." Emma, on some level, understood the hesitancy her girlfriend was feeling. But she knew if Regina ran away now, she may never consider the opportunity again and Emma didn't want that for her. "They're your parents. And they love you. And no matter what happens when you walk over there, that's not ever going to change."

Both women stood there in silence. Regina gathering her nerves and Emma patiently waiting for her to decide what to do. "I'll stand here with you for another hour, if that's what you need babe." Emma told her. "But I think…if you just turn around, take a deep breath and walk over there, everything will just…fall into place."

Regina nodded. She gently ran her hands over her face and smoothed down her clothes. It was cold outside but that's not why her entire body was shaking. "Do I look okay?"

"Absolutely gorgeous." Emma confirmed, sealing her declaration with a firm kiss. When she pulled back, Emma glanced over her girlfriend's shoulder, looking at the expectant parents patiently waiting for their daughter to approach them. Meeting Regina's eyes again, Emma smiled brightly, knowing the answer to the question she'd asked when they had been standing next to her car. "I'll be right here where you need me. Okay?"

"Okay." Regina turned then, stepping away, not letting go of Emma's hand until they were too far apart to hold on anymore. At the last minute she turned back to her girlfriend who had shoved both hands in her front pockets. "Thank you. For everything, Emma. I love you."

Emma felt a sudden warmth flushing her cheeks and smiled. "Love you too. Now go meet your parents."

With a deep sigh and a heavy heart, she turned back and started walking towards the uncertainty that was Henry and Cora Mills. After 16 years of believing they were dead, Regina had no idea how this meeting was going to go. She wanted to be excited. Thrilled. Bursting with happiness. But at the moment, all she could feel was panic. Frustration. And worst of all, she was afraid. Regina had never been a fan of uncertainty. As she drew closer to the two people she was there to meet, Regina dropped her head, watching the ground as she walked, silently gathering her thoughts before she reached the couple she was quickly closing in on.

She came to a stop several feet shy of the two people claiming to be her parents. Looking up, she was met with two sets of eyes bearing down on her with a hopeful glint. The silence between the three of them made it perfectly clear that all parties were unsure of the situation at hand. Regina looked back and forth between the two of them, her head suddenly at war with her heart. The entire moment was overwhelming and the tears in her eyes threatened to give everything away. Her chest tightened. Regina finally opened her mouth to speak, when at the same time, Cora Mills reached out as if to touch her.

The slight movement caused her to panic and Regina stepped back quickly in effort to remain out of reach. And in that moment, her walls completely crumbled.

"Who _are_ you?" Regina yelled. She felt as if she had no control over her reaction. Every emotion she'd felt about her parent's supposed death and finding out that they had in fact been alive the whole time, came boiling to the surface. "Who do you think you are?"

"Regina, we-" Henry Mills began to speak, but quickly found himself cut off.

"You _left_ me." The words seemed to catch in her throat, leaving her choked and gasping for air. A look of pain and anger crossing her face. "You left me. With him."

"Regina." Cora spoke softly. Her hands remaining clasped together neatly in front of her now that she realized her daughter wasn't quite ready to connect with them. The pain in her eyes was almost a match for her daughter's. "Darling. You have to believe us. You were never supposed to be left behind."

"For sixteen years I thought you were dead." The words were meant to be harsh, but barely made it out on a whisper of breath. "Sixteen years and you couldn't find _any_ way to make me disappear _with_ you?"

**. . .**

Emma remained standing in the spot where Regina had left her. Unfortunately that spot was just far enough away that she was out of earshot of her girlfriend and her parents. She awkwardly shifted from one foot to the other as she watched the scene in front of her, tension rolling off of all three of them in waves. Emma felt a weight on her chest that she couldn't explain but somehow knew it was her girlfriend she was feeling. From the moment they'd met, both women had felt a connection that neither could put into words. And when they were apart, the separation was borderline painful. That was on a good day. But in moments like this, the emotion was downright unbearable.

When Emma saw Regina step back quickly, she'd had all she could take. Somehow she'd imagined holding out longer, but her heart clearly had other ideas. Fortunately, she had enough control over her body to allow herself to approach the group slowly. The closer she got, Emma stepped to the side so that Regina might see her coming. The last thing she wanted to do was surprise her girlfriend when she was already wound so tight.

Finally, when Emma was close enough she heard Regina say,_ 'Sixteen years and you couldn't find any way to make me disappear with you?'_ And her heart ached for the brunette who was openly breaking down right in front of all of them. Emma had barely seen Regina cry, let alone fall apart. She reached out then, touching Regina's arm gently. She should have known better. Emma knew better than most that when a person is breaking down the last thing they want, even though they might need it, is to be touched. The simplest act of human contact had the complete and total power to bring even the strongest person to their knees. And Regina crumbled.

Had Emma been any slower, she might not have caught her girlfriend who instantly dissolved and fell into her arms. Tears pouring like rain from her eyes. She buried her head against Emma's chest and Emma held on tight. Looking over Regina's shoulder once again, Emma looked at Henry and Cora Mills, hoping that they would find a way to understand. And by the looks in _their_ eyes, they most definitely did.

"Let's sit down, yeah?" Emma spoke softly into Regina's ear. Regina didn't react, but Emma hadn't really expected her to. The suggestion was more of a warning that she was about to take her to the table where she could sit and take a moment to calm down. Once the two were comfortable and Regina had regained her composure, Henry and Cora joined them from the other side of the picnic table.

When Regina was finally ready to face them again, Emma sat closely, rubbing her back in offer of silent support. Regina looked up and took a moment to take in the features of the man and woman in front of her. There was no mistaking they were her parents. They were clearly several years older, but looked the same as she remembered from the few photos she had of them. She sniffled, wiping at her eyes gently and attempted to swallow the lump in her throat.

"Regina, honey." Henry Mills finally spoke up. "You must have many questions. You can ask us anything."

"Emma said you were at the gallery the night before her accident." Regina didn't hesitate to respond. Henry was right. She had a million questions. The only problem being that she had no clue where to even begin. She wanted to know these people. She wanted to love them, even. Regina loved her parents. But these people, she didn't know. Deep down she knew it was going to take some time, she only wished it was easier. Regina didn't want to be angry. Or hurt. But the fact remained. "You had to know Uncle Luis was going to be there. What if he had seen you? How do you know he didn't?"

"For you. It was a risk we were willing to take." Cora answered. Regina huffed in disbelief.

"It took you 16 years to 'take a risk'?" She laughed nervously to herself and shook her head. Wasn't this supposed to get easier, with every minute that ticked by? "Why was that night _any_ different? There had to have been a million _less public_ opportunities for you to see me."

"There were." Henry was quick to admit. "But you have to understand, just because our identities were changed, doesn't mean we were left to our own devices. We were watched constantly, as if we were criminals as well."

"You will never know how hard it was to stay away." Cora told Regina, looking back and forth between the two women sitting across from her. "You don't have to hear everything today. We simply…wanted to meet you. To let you know we're here and if you'll have us, to be a part of your life."

"It's going to take some time." Regina responded honestly. "There's a part of me that knows. The rational part of my brain, telling me that it wasn't your fault. But the irrational little girl that got left behind…she just doesn't understand."

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	21. Chapter 21

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I deeply apologize for taking so long to update! Hope this makes up for it! :) There was a particular song that shuffled up on my iPod that I had in mind when writing the beginning of this chapter. Listen to "Shattered" by Trading Yesterday. As for the end of this chapter. It's totally old school, but in case you're curious, it was Toni Braxton "I Get So High" lol Enjoy!**

**CHAPTER 21**

Regina was stretched out on the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling. Her head resting heavily in Emma's lap who was running her fingers through the brunette's thick hair. A simple effort to comfort the other woman. Both women had been silent ever since they'd parted ways with Cora and Henry Mills. The remainder of the meeting had been strained. But all the while, Emma had remained silent and stoic next to her girlfriend, silently awaiting her cues and attempting to soothe her with a gentle hand on Regina's leg beneath the table. After all, Emma knew that she had to let Regina get through the visit on her own. But that didn't mean she couldn't let the woman know she was there for her.

Now that they were back in the safety of their home, ever so patiently Emma watched her girlfriend vigilantly, taking note of every change in her facial features, knowing that Regina was trying her best to work things out in her head. Alone. Emma didn't have to like it. But still she remained patient. Continuing to run her fingers over Regina's scalp, Emma finally began to relax and allowed her head to rest on the back of the sofa. Just as she felt her eyes slipping shut, she heard Regina's voice break through the deafening silence.

"I thought this would feel different." She stated simply. Emma knew what Regina meant, but still she remained silent, waiting for the rest to come. "Shouldn't I feel happy? Shouldn't I want to be with them right now?"

Emma raised her head back up from the sofa to look down at her girlfriend whose voice sounded as if it might crack at any given moment. "There's no rule book for things like this, babe."

Regina sighed heavily, knowing that Emma was right. "I know you just found out about them recently. But until today, your parents have been dead for 16 years. You're the only one allowed to tell you how to feel."

Emma's hand stalled as Regina turned on her side and buried her face against the blonde's stomach. She opted instead to resume her soothing movements up and down Regina's side and back. The brunette pulled both her arms into her chest and curled herself into a ball, drawing herself in as close as she could to her girlfriend. Emma felt the sorrow flowing off of her girlfriend and felt helpless to take the pain away. She may not be all that close to her own parents and in a sense, she knew what it felt like not to have them. But at the same time, they weren't really gone. Not like Regina had thought hers to be. Absent and deceased were two very different things. At least Emma's parents had been there when she needed them, which is precisely why she refused to tell Regina that she understood what she was going through. There was no way anyone could ever understand. So instead, Emma did the one thing she _did_ understand. Comforting her brokenhearted girlfriend.

Emma felt Regina's body shaking and realized that while she had gotten lost in her own thoughts; her girlfriend had been silently crying and doing her best to hide the fact. "I don't feel _anything_, Emma." Regina's words were broken up between gasping breaths. "I should feel _something_. Anything!"

"Shhh. I've got you." Emma shifted in her seat and raised the brunette's head so that she could stretch out next to her, both facing the back of the sofa. Emma curled her body around the slightly more petite woman and wrapped her arms around her tightly. Protectively. Their legs tangled together as Emma whispered reassurances into her ear. Regina continued to shake, her body wracked with sobs that threatened to choke her at any given moment. "Let it out, babe. I'm here. And I've got you. I love you, 'Gina."

Regina, whose hands were holding tightly onto Emma's, moved to slide them under the hem of her blouse. The need to feel Emma's hands against her skin was strong and so she guided them over her tautstomach and it was enough for Emma to realize that Regina needed a closer connection than the one their position currently afforded them. Emma went with it. Her hands tracing every inch of flesh she could possibly reach. Her fingertips grazed the edge of the brunette's bra and crept up further mapping out an endless path across Regina's chest, before gently dipping into the garment standing in the way of her present destination.

As soon as her fingertips brushed the other woman's sensitive breast, Regina's nipples hardened and her hips involuntarily rolled back pressing back into Emma's groin. Emma's breath caught in her throat before escaping in the form of a quiet moan into the back of her girlfriend's neck. "Regina?"

"Just make me _feel_ something Emma. Please." Regina pleaded, burying her face into the pillow on the couch and rolling her hips back once again, enticing Emma, begging her to take things further and give her what she wanted.

Emma worked her left arm underneath Regina's neck and grabbed one of her free hands, holding on tight while her right hand changed direction and slid down to the top of Regina's pants. She only fumbled with the clasp and short zipper momentarily before her hand was slipping down further. Emma's fingertips slipped past the lacey waistband and before she could get any further, Regina threw her head back so that she could turn just enough to coax Emma's lips into embracing her own. The kiss was raw. And passionate. Tongues sliding against each other, temporarily sidetracking Emma from her previous endeavor. She felt Regina's leg shifting, opening herself up to give Emma room to continue toward her destination. Emma's mouth kissed a trail away from Regina's lips, across her jaw and latched onto her neck as her hand slipped further south and her fingers found what they were searching for.

Emma's teeth scraped the sensitive skin just below Regina's ear as her fingers slid against warm and soaking wet folds, causing Regina's hips to buck up against hers again. The brunette was driving Emma crazy. But this moment wasn't about Emma. It was about Regina and her need to feel some sort of human connection. And right now, the connection she was looking for was raw human need at its most basic, which Emma was more than willing to indulge. Regina's fingers laced through Emma's and squeezed in a near death grip as Emma touched and teased her where she needed it most. Regina wanted to feel something? Emma was damn well going to make sure that she did. Slipping their linked hands down the front of her girlfriend's shirt Emma toyed with one nipple, teasing it to a stiff peak. Gently pulling and rolling it between her fingertips before moving onto the other, alternating back and forth between the two as she placed open mouthed kisses on her neck. Biting. Licking. Sucking. Eliciting as many sounds from Regina as she possibly could.

All the while, her fingers continued to slip through soaked lips, dipping gently inside where Regina wanted her most, before pulling out in exchange for circling her hardened clit. The actions had them both writhing against each other on the sofa, which thankfully afforded them little room to move, effectively giving the desired effect of keeping them as close together as possible.

"Emma…" Another broken sob escaped Regina's lips. "Please. I need-"

"I know what you need." Emma breathed into her ear, momentarily letting go of the brunette's neck. "I'm right here."

Emma chose that very moment to bury three fingers deep inside the brunette, eliciting a gasp followed by a whimper of pleasure. It was all Regina needed to begin rocking her hips against the rhythm Emma was quickly creating. She knew Regina wouldn't last long and even though she knew her girlfriend wanted it fast and over with for the moment, Emma couldn't resist pulling out to tease her clit a little more. Regina quickly protested by squeezing Emma's free hand tighter than Emma thought humanly possible and gave the woman what she wanted. Once again, sliding easily inside, thanks to the dripping entrance she'd previously been exploring. Emma could feel Regina's walls tightening and knew it was only a matter of seconds before she fell over the edge.

"Emma, I-" Regina's breath was coming in short ragged gasps. Her chest rising and falling on the verge of possible hyperventilation.

"I've got you 'Gina." Emma told her. "Just let go babe. I'm right here."

But Emma knew she was struggling to let go. Something was holding her back, yet Regina continued to fight for the orgasm that had been building and threatening to explode for the last several minutes. And suddenly it dawned on Emma exactly what she needed to do. With one last thrust, Emma's mouth found the sensitive spot right between her girlfriend's neck shoulder and she bit down. Hard. Regina exploded. Completely shattered. Her body convulsing. And this time, it wasn't from the tears or the sorrow but the sheer ecstasy of the mixture between pain and pleasure. Emma held her tightly as the woman in her arms began to come down from the high she'd been seeking.

When Regina finally stilled in her arms, Emma knew that she'd passed out from the absolute exhaustion of the day, mixed with their frantic love making and Emma would be damned if she'd wake her. So she remained still. Their hands still joined and holding onto one breast while the other remained deep inside her girlfriend. It was a moment she was more than willing to live with. Be it five minutes or ten. Or an hour. She wouldn't move until the other woman came to. If it were up to Emma, she could stay like this forever. Regina needed this moment. And if Emma was honest with herself, she had too. So she allowed herself to relax and it didn't take long for Regina's deep and even breathing to lull Emma to sleep.

**. . .**

The room was dark, the sun having gone down, when Emma felt Regina stir. Instantly alert, Emma tightened her arm around her girlfriend to keep her from moving any further. She made a few soothing sounds to keep her still, knowing that Regina would be stiff from their laying in one position for so long. Not to mention the fact that Emma had fallen asleep still inside her girlfriend. Something she could honestly say she had never done before. Emma found the act more intimate than any moment she had ever shared with anyone before and was suddenly reluctant to let Regina go. She felt Regina's walls squeeze her fingers and Emma's breath caught in her throat.

"Did you sleep okay?" Emma asked as her lips began to form a smile against her girlfriend's ear.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep on you…" Regina turned her head just enough to capture Emma's mouth with her own. The kiss was gentle. Not needy. Not sexual. Just…simple. "I can't believe you fell asleep with your-"

"No worries." Emma responded, still speaking quietly, afraid to cause a shift in the mood of the moment they were sharing. "I'm going to move my hand."

Regina nodded in acknowledgement, her hand squeezing the one Emma held against her chest and Emma kissed her again. Crushing their mouths together and this time it was Emma moving against her. Gently rocking their bodies together, distracting the brunette as she slowly eased her hand free of the warm, wet confinement. As soon as her hand was hers once more, Emma moved to take Regina's face between both hands and kissed her one last time before pulling back to look her in the eyes.

"How did you…?"

Emma smiled and nudged the brunette into turning over in her arms. "Had to distract you. I have no idea how long we slept. Didn't want it to hurt you."

Regina shook her head, burying her face in Emma's chest, taking her shirt in both hands, holding on tight. After a moment, she pulled back looking at Emma with something akin to fire in her eyes. "And now, Agent Swan, I'm suddenly feeling a little worked up again."

"Is that so-"

Emma was interrupted by the sound of doorbell ringing loudly through the house. She would say she didn't remember it being so loud, but then again, Emma couldn't exactly remember a time when she was ever present in the house when said doorbell had been used. Both women sat up slightly, looking in the direction of the door and then back to each other.

"Don't look at me." Emma laughed. "I only know one other person and I didn't invite him over."

Regina sat up the rest of the way, effectively forcing Emma to follow suit, when the doorbell sounded off again. Both women stood and Regina began to resituate her shirt and fastening her pants. Emma simply stood there watching the brunette try to smooth out her sleep wrinkled clothes. Suddenly there was a harsh pounding on the door. Not hard enough to be of concern, but persistent enough to make them realize someone was intent on visiting. Emma smiled to herself, shoving her hands into her back pockets as she watched her girlfriend hustle down the hallway, running her hands through her hair before reaching for the door. She flipped the switch for the hallway light and the one next to it, which would illuminate the front steps as well. Just as Regina pulled the door open, the person on the other side was standing poised, ready to knock and ring the doorbell again at the same time.

"Kathryn?" Regina was surprised to find her best friend standing on her front stoop. Regina suddenly realized they hadn't spoken since the night she and Emma had taken the other woman out to dinner so she could introduce her best friend to her girlfriend. Regina stepped back then, ushering the blonde into her home, making sure to lock and deadbolt the door behind her. "What are you doing here? Is everything okay?

"I was about to ask you the same thing." Kathryn looked at Regina as if she had two heads. But as they walked into the living area, Kathryn noticed Emma standing off to the side, picking up what appeared to be her jacket from the floor. "I only called and text you a million times. I knew you were going to meet your parents today and then I didn't hear from you. So I may have…panicked."

Kathryn's voice trailed off as she took in Regina's wrinkled clothes, Emma's jacket which had previously been in the floor and the lack of lighting in the rest of the house. "I didn't…interrupt any-"

"Oh god no!" Regina was quick to cut her off. Emma turned to lay her jacket over the back of one of the dining room chairs, simply to hide the smirk she knew she wouldn't be able to keep off of her face. "No. We just…fell asleep."

Kathryn nodded slowly as if she wasn't buying a word of what her best friend was saying. Regina reached for her phone on the end table and realized that she must have silenced it at some point and her eyes widened at all of the missed messages, calls and voicemails. Kathryn gestured to the phone in Regina's hand. "I wasn't joking."

"I can see that." Regina laughed, sitting the phone back down. She would deal with it later.

"Hey, Kathryn." Emma spoke up. A mild attempt to end the near awkward interaction. "You want something to drink? Water? Beer? Wine? Soda-"

Kathryn held her hand up to stop Emma's nervous babbling. Why the blonde was nervous, Kathryn hadn't a single clue. Maybe it was simply because they didn't exactly know each other yet. But it honestly didn't matter to her either way. She liked Emma. "No thank you, Emma."

"Okay." Emma ran her hand through the back of her hair and grabbed her jacket once more. She immediately noticed the shift in Regina's body language and knew the brunette automatically thought she was going to leave. She took the two steps between them to close the distance and gently kissed her girlfriend on the cheek. "I'm just going to…put this away upstairs."

Regina reached out to squeeze Emma's hand and distractedly watched her go until she rounded the corner to head up to their bedroom. When she turned back, Regina found Kathryn staring at her with a smile on her face. "You two were totally having sex. Weren't you!"

"Kathryn! Oh my God. No! We were not." Regina laughed nervously, suddenly feeling like she should be doing something other than looking at her best friend. "We fell asleep on the couch after we came home from the meeting."

"And had sex." Kathryn mumbled, clearing her throat as she took a seat in one of the chairs next to the sofa.

"Seriously. What is your fascination with-" Regina shook her head and walked into the kitchen. "Never mind. I don't even want to know."

"Oh come on, Regina!" Kathryn's tone was verging on whining. She watched her best friend walk back into the room, two bottles of water in hand. Regina shoved one in Kathryn's face before sitting down on the end of the sofa closest to her friend. "I have to live vicariously through _someone_. You're the only lesbian I know!"

"_That_ is an outright lie, Kathryn Midas." Regina pointed a finger at the blonde. She was about to continue chastising her when she heard Emma coming down the stairs and the doorbell ringing again.

Emma rounded the corner looking at the two women seated in the living room. She grabbed Regina's phone to check the time. "It's like nine p.m. Are we having a party that neither of us is aware of?"

"Don't look at me." Regina smirked, repeating Emma's earlier comment. "The only people I know are in this living room." She paused. "And jail."

Both blondes looked at Regina like they weren't sure they'd heard her right.

"It was a joke." Regina shook her head, waving them off. The doorbell rang again reminding them that someone was still standing outside the door and Emma sprang into action, moving to find out who their mystery guest could be. Turning back to her friend, Regina picked up the conversation again. "I'm sorry I didn't get your messages, Kat. Today was…interesting. And by the time we left the park I was just- I was in no position to be speaking to anyone. I don't even think I spoke to Emma until several hours later. We just…came home and fell asleep on the couch. I-"

"She's really good for you Regina." Kathryn smiled softly at her friend. "I'm really glad you found someone. I just hope she deserves you!"

"Kathryn." Regina laughed. Shaking her head, she smiled at her friend's protective demeanor. "Sometimes I wonder if I deserve_ her_. You have no idea how good she's been through all of this. She just…lets me go through the motions. Never pushes. And always _always_ is the most understanding person I've ever been involved with."

"Well she must be!" Kathryn laughed at that. "After all, you've officially completed your first clichéd task as a newfound lesbian!" Kathryn shook her head at her best friend's confused look. "I'm not a lesbian and even _I _know all the U-Haul jokes, Regina!"

Regina couldn't even bring herself to dignify the line of conversation with a response. She knew her friend thought she was being funny, but how could Regina explain that it was more than that with Emma and make her understand. Emma had been there for Regina's entire life. It had simply taken them until now to find each other. Regina figured no one but Emma could ever understand that. But she didn't mind. It never hurt to have things between them that the outside would never understand. They honestly didn't need to. Their lives were their business and theirs alone. It didn't need to be justified by words or defensive arguments. What she and Emma shared was simply that. It was between them. Besides, how do you explain to anyone, even your best friend, that there was something about this woman that she'd somehow known all of her life? That something about Emma was there, flowing through the blood in her veins. And how it physically hurt to be away from her for too long.

Over the past month Emma had even stuck with her desk duty at work in attempt to keep more regular hours, just in effort to maintain some semblance of a steady routine. Regina knew that eventually Emma would go back to doing what she does best. Working with her partner to catch all the bad guys and the thought terrified Regina to no end. But under no circumstances would she let Emma know just how much she dreaded the day. The offbeat hours of coming and going whenever she and Neal would be needed and being left at home to wonder when and or if her girlfriend would make it home safely. Regina shook the thoughts out of her head and realized that Emma was trying to get her attention.

"Is she picking up your bad habits, Swan?" Regina turned when she heard Neal's voice. She smiled up at the man and stood to greet him. Neal had after all been quite a bit of support throughout the ordeal of Emma's accident and the following fiasco with her Uncle and the rest of her family. When she got close, Regina held out a hand, but Neal had other plans and pulled her into an easy hug. For a brief moment Regina felt slightly awkward, but quickly relaxed and returned the sentiment before pulling away. "I'm sorry I just dropped in on you. I-"

"Nonsense." Regina was quick to interrupt him. "You're welcome here any time, Neal. Would you like something to drink?"

Kathryn sat quietly in the chair next to the sofa, watching the exchange between Regina and Emma's partner. She wondered how long it would take her best friend to remember she was still there, before she finally introduced the two.

"I'm good. But thank you." Neal politely declined. Suddenly realizing there was another person in the room Neal glanced over Regina's shoulder and smiled at the blonde he wasn't familiar with. She was sitting primly on the edge of the chair and he noticed that she looked well off. Not that Neal ever cared about money, but what he did care about was nice looking women. He took in the woman's short skirt and nice blouse. Firm legs and blonde hair pulled up into a loose bun. He remembered seeing her the night of Regina's gallery opening. And if no one was going to introduce him, he would certainly do it his self. He stepped between his partner and her girlfriend, extending a hand. "Hi. I'm Neal. Emma's partner."

Kathryn took his hand which he grasped loosely and returned his smile. "So. You're FBI as well, then?"

"I am." He nodded, letting go of Kathryn's hand to shove both of his awkwardly into his front pockets. Emma looked back and forth between the two of them and suddenly her left eyebrow shot up on her forehead. "It's nice to meet you."

"Can we _talk?_ In the kitchen?" Emma grabbed Neal by the arm, forced a smile on her face and jerked him towards the other room. Once they were out of earshot of Regina and Kathryn, Emma punched Neal firmly in the shoulder.

"What the hell was that for?" Neal asked in a hushed tone, wincing as he grabbed the offended arm.

"What the hell was that in there?" Emma hissed, looking at her partner like he'd lost his mind. "You can't just flirt with my girlfriends friends!"

**. . .**

"Did I- say something wrong?" Kathryn looked back and forth between Regina and the direction Emma and Neal had disappeared in. She was certain she hadn't, but far be it for her to deny the fact that Emma's partner was cute in an awkward sort of way. Kathryn thought she just might have to see about getting an FBI Agent of her own. "What do you think they're talking about in there?"

"How should I know?" Regina was quick to dismiss the weird incident. "Knowing Emma? She's probably telling him off for flirting with you. Though I wouldn't have exactly called that flirting."

"He _is_ kind of cute." Kathryn shrugged, taking a seat once more. Regina followed suit. "So how did it go today? If you're ready to talk about it?"

Regina sighed then laughed nervously. "If I wait until I'm ready, I'll probably never talk about it."

**. . .**

"I wasn't flirting. I-"

"Oh the hell you weren't." Emma scoffed at him before she turned to grab two beers out of the refrigerator. She handed him one and hopped up on the counter as he leaned back against the opposite one. "So what are you doing uptown so late?"

The ease in which they could change tones with each other was nothing new. Neal was practically a brother to Emma and there wasn't a chance in hell they would ever be caught actually fighting with one another. "Actually, I tried calling you several times. I knew you were taking Regina to meet her parents this afternoon, so I just wanted to check in on you two, to make sure everything went okay."

Emma reached into her pocket for her phone and sure enough, there were several missed calls and messages. Apparently she'd slept through them. Or she was possibly just preoccupied at the time. She shrugged, shoving the phone back into her front pocket.

"It went as well as you could expect." Emma toyed with the label on the bottle in her hands. She was hesitant to discuss her girlfriend's situation, but Neal was her best friend and she trusted that he sincerely cared about both of them. "She's still angry. I guess I would be too, you know?"

"Yeah. So how were the parents?" Neal asked before taking a drink of the beer Emma had shoved at him. "Was it weird?"

"They seem okay enough." Emma shrugged. "But I think it's going to take some time before they're all taking family photos and spending holidays together. They're having a hard time understanding why she's so distant. But she lived 16 years without them. She wants to be happy about it. There's just…a lot of hurt there. I just-"

Emma let the sentence die off and nursed her beer in silence for a moment. She could hear Regina talking in the other room, but couldn't quite make out what was being said. Kathryn had shown up because she'd been concerned about her best friend, so if she was forced to make an educated guess, Emma assumed they were talking about how her meeting Cora and Henry had went.

"So it's like 9pm on a Saturday night and we're not on call." Neal interrupted Emma's thought process. "Why are we not going out somewhere? And seriously…is Regina's friend single?"

Emma rolled her eyes and Neal smirked at her. "One, it's probably because we've had a mentally taxing day. And two, even if she is, just…no."

"Or _maybe_ it's because you've found a girl and suddenly you're acting like a whipped husband!" Neal laughed so hard at his own joke that he never saw Emma come off of the counter or her fist nailing him in the shoulder again. "What the hell, Swan!?"

Emma quirked an amused eyebrow and left him standing in the kitchen.

**. . .**

Neal was quick to follow Emma back into the living room. He was holding his shoulder again, but either no one noticed or chose to not ask why. Emma took a seat next to Regina on the couch, leaving Neal to sit on the other chair closest to Kathryn. The two women had clearly ended their conversation once the two of them returned, but Emma felt certain that Regina probably didn't mind. She also couldn't shake the hassling Neal had given her in the kitchen and suddenly found herself wondering if getting out of the house wasn't exactly what they all needed.

"Everything okay?" Regina asked as the two partners settled into their seats.

"Yeah." Emma was almost too quick to answer. "Actually, Neal was just suggesting that if the two of you felt up to it, maybe we should all get out of the house and go have a drink or two?"

"That sounds fantastic, actually!" Kathryn regarded Regina carefully, hoping that she was up for an outing. And Emma looked at Neal, knowing him well enough to know that he was doing a silent victory dance on the inside.

"Sure." Regina nodded, taking Emma's hand for a moment. "I just need to change first if that's okay?"

**. . .**

An hour later, Neal stood back, holding open the door to allow the three ladies to walk in ahead of him. The bar was a dive. Dark and not too packed. One of the many qualities they'd all grown to appreciate over time.

"Right back to where it all started, Agent Swan?" Regina leaned in to whisper into her girlfriend's ear. She took Emma's hand and pulled her towards the bar. Kathryn was a grown woman and Regina felt certain she could manage on her own for a little while. She also knew that Neal had no idea what he was in for, setting his sights on her best friend. Neal was laid back. Kathryn liked to have fun. Regina hoped he could keep up. "Drinks first?"

"The last time we were here, you drank my beer, didn't bother to ask my name…" Emma laughed, following closely behind the brunette. Regina ordered two drinks but didn't take her attention off the gorgeous blonde hanging onto her. "And then you left with me. Am I going to have to keep my eye on you tonight?"

The two women strolled casually to the table Neal and Kathryn had laid claim to and just as Emma was about to pull out a chair, Regina relieved her of the bottle she was carrying. Depositing both drinks on the table, Regina backed away slowly pulling Emma with her towards the dance floor. Emma's breath caught in her throat at the look she saw in the brunette's eyes. Once they were in the middle of the crowd, Regina pulled Emma close, lacing her arms around the blonde's neck. Emma wrapped both arms around Regina's waist and smiled as Regina pulled her in for a slow lingering kiss.

"I wouldn't suggest taking your eyes off of me ever again Emma Swan." Regina's lips curled up in a smile that reached her eyes for the first time since leaving the park earlier in the afternoon. "You never know what you might miss."

Emma's chest tightened as they both began to move with the music. Whoever had taken charge of the jukebox had really done a number on it and Emma couldn't help but wonder if they'd thought it was 'Throwback Thursday' when an early 90's song began to play. Honestly she couldn't care less what was coming out of the old machine because she had the most gorgeous woman in the room wrapped in her arms who was dancing quite provocatively against her, if she did say so herself. It was almost as if they were reliving that first dance over again. But when Regina turned in Emma's arms this time, there was no awkward stranger to shove away. The only thing that remained the same was the sexual tension and the knowledge that when Emma took this woman home again, this time, she would definitely be taking her to bed.

Emma smiled to herself then, her hands tangled with her girlfriends as Regina pushed back against the blonde, knowing exactly what reaction she would be eliciting. Regina leaned her head to the side, resting it back against Emma's shoulder as Emma's lips kissed a slow trail from her neck to a very exposed collarbone. A particular place Emma happened to know was very sensitive.

**. . .**

Neal glanced over at the blonde sitting across from him who was watching their friends on the dance floor with an open mouth and curious eyes. Feeling a set of eyes on her, Kathryn turned back to the guy sitting across from her and shook her head. She fanned herself lightly as her face seemed to have gotten flushed all on its own. "Maybe we should have left them at home."

"That's nothing. You should have been here the first time that happened."Neal shook his head at the memory and laughed, causing Kathryn to laugh with him.

"They do make quite the couple, don't they?"

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	22. Chapter 22

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**Author's Note: I sincerely apologize for taking so long to update this story. I'd like to say a lot has been going on, but that wouldn't be true at all. I just hit a point where writing just wasn't coming to me. So...I hope this chapter will more than make up for making you wait SO long! Please feel free to tell me what you think. And as I didn't take too much time to edit, if anything jumps out at you, please let me know!**

**CHAPTER 22**

"Emma." Regina called after her girlfriend from the front door of their house. Emma was currently leaning into the back seat of the 370, but paused in her endeavor in favor of actually being able to hear what Regina was about to say. "Emma!"

Emma laughed at the mild impatience of the other woman and turned to her with a smile on her face. "Yes?"

"Did you already put the desserts in the car? I don't want to lock the door if we've forgotten something." Regina ran a hand through her hair, taking a deep breath. She glanced at the numbers on the screen of her phone. "We have two hours before we're supposed to be there and we _cannot_ be late, Emma Swan. I refuse to be late. I-"

"Regina. It's an hour drive." Emma laughed to herself, quickly heading to where the other woman was standing on the stoop, her hand still on the door knob, fully preparing to go back inside to retrieve anything left behind. Emma wrapped her hand around Regina's where in lingered on the door and gently pulled it shut. "You can lock the door."

Emma leaned in and with one hand on the brunette's cheek; she gently kissed Regina's lips before pulling back with what appeared to be a permanent smile etched on her face. When their eyes met, both women paused, taking each other in. Emma's arms found their way around her girlfriend's waist and pulled her close.

"You have nothing to worry about." Emma gave her a reassuring squeeze. "Our bags are in the car. The food is in the car. The flowers. Your purse. Your favorite pillow. It's all in the car. The only thing _not_ in the car is us."

Regina pulled back, placing her hands on Emma's chest. Her fingers idly playing with the collar of the red leather jacket she was wearing. Emma stood there in silence, knowing Regina was working something out in her head. She had taken notice some time ago that when the brunette was nervous, she would fidget and worry needlessly. Once it started, the whole thing was a vicious cycle. Emma had found it best to just give her a moment to sort out her thoughts. But if it ever started to take what Emma deemed 'too long', she always found a way to pull her girlfriend back down to earth. Emma was quickly realizing this was going to be one of those times.

"Come back to me." Emma leaned in; pressing her forehead to Regina's and kissed her softly on the lips. "What's worrying you? Talk to me."

"Maybe I should go back in and change." Regina nodded and stepped back from Emma's embrace, looking down at her clothes. She was reaching for the door again before Emma could speak up. But luckily she _was_ fast enough to catch Regina's hand before she could get very far. Emma couldn't help but smile to herself as she entwined their fingers. "Emma, I'm serious. I should change clothes."

Emma bit her bottom lip to keep from smiling again. She knew if she did, Regina would get upset and that was exactly _not_ how Emma wanted this day to go. Instead, she took a step back; their fingers still linked and took in the brunette's attire. After trying on half of her entire wardrobe, Regina had finally settled on a simple pair of black leggings with a cream colored scoop neck sweater dress that came down just far enough to cover the delicate curves of her hips and backside. The finishing touches were a wide black patent leather belt resting loosely around her waist and high heels to match. Emma had insisted that every outfit had been perfect but Regina had refused to buy it. And she was convinced the only reason the other woman had _stopped_ changing clothes was because she had suggested Regina wear the necklace that had been hanging in her window. Insisting it would complete the outfit. Her assessment complete, Emma shook her head.

"You look…amazing, Regina." Emma reached up to adjust the necklace and suddenly realized her girlfriend was standing on their doorstep in the cold late November air, without a jacket. "Where's your coat? You have to be freezing."

"I thought everything was in the car?" Regina replied smartly, maintaining a straight face. She watched as Emma's mouth fell open, suddenly doubting the reassurances she had just been spewing only moments before. "Emma. I'm just kidding. I put it in the front seat earlier when I carried out one of our bags."

"Yeah. About that." Emma was quick to let the taunting slide in favor of moving on to her own teasing comments. Regina eyed the blonde carefully. Her eyebrows slowly creeping up on her forehead as she listened to her girlfriend talk. "You _do_ remember me saying we were just staying overnight, don't you? Because I have a back pack and you; well…I'll just be honest. That 370 wasn't made to hold that many bags."

"Is that right?" Regina smiled.

Emma's eyes narrowed suspiciously at the simplicity of Regina's response. If she wasn't rising to the bait, she was obviously up to something and Emma wondered briefly if she should let it go, before deciding not to. "How did you do it? I was carrying stuff out and you had one bag. When I came back, it was like the other three just magically appeared!"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Regina smirked with a hitch of her shoulders before turning and heading down the steps. Emma reached for the doorknob and checked one last time to make sure it was locked before following quickly after the brunette. Just as Regina reached the car, Emma swooped in around her and grabbed the handle of the door and pulled it open, gesturing for the other women to take a seat. "Trying to kiss up, now?"

Emma leaned down into the car, captured Regina's lips with her own and didn't hold back. Tongue's teasing. Teeth nibbling on lips. Regina's hands found their way into blonde curls, holding Emma in place, just in case she decided to pull away too soon. But by the time Emma finally did pull back with a triumphant smile on her face, Regina's chest was heaving and her cheeks were slightly flushed.

"You tell me." She raised an eyebrow and gently swiped at her bottom lip with her thumb. "Do I need to kiss up?"

Regina was speechless and Emma continued to smile as she closed the door, walked around to the driver side and got into the car. She paused, one hand on the wheel and the other on the push to start and looked across the front seat to the woman waiting patiently. "You really do look gorgeous. Just so you know."

"Thank you, Emma." Regina smiled and dipped her head as she pushed a lock of hair behind her left ear. Glancing over at the blonde in the driver's seat she added. "Thank you. For always keeping me calm. And…everything else you do. I love you."

Emma bit her lip as she hit the push to start and the engine softly rumbled to life. With her newly free hand, she reached across the expanse between them and took Regina's hands. "I love you too, Regina."

Regina leaned over and gave Emma a quick peck on the cheek before suggesting they actually pull out and get on the road. It was the day before Thanksgiving and Emma's parents were expecting her to show up sooner rather than later. And as Emma had somewhat nervously explained to Regina several days before, her parents would be expecting her the day before the holiday, to spend the night so that Emma could help her mother with all of the preparations for dinner. Regina hadn't hesitated to agree to a sleepover in the childhood home of her girlfriend. She had no idea why Emma was so nervous about the situation, other than knowing that she had yet to tell her mother and father about Regina who she apparently intended to spring on them the minute they opened the front door.

The drive to Summit Park in Baltimore went better than either woman expected, given the fact that it was the day before a major holiday. In just barely over an hour, Emma was pulling the 370 into a driveway that quickly opened up to reveal a rather large two story, brick home. Regina immediately guessed it had been built quite a long time ago, but found it majestic none the less. The landscaping was simple, but appeared to be immaculately kept. The further Emma pulled into the drive, the more nervous Regina began to feel. An hour and a half ago, she hadn't been nervous in the least. She'd seen plenty of photos of Emma's parent's and one or two of their home. But the photos hadn't done it one bit of justice. Regina had not grown up poor, by any means. But with Emma's childhood home suddenly looming over them, she was beginning to feel a bit of an inferiority complex creeping under her skin

Regina knew that Emma must have sensed her growing apprehension because she quickly reached across the console and took Regina's hand after putting the car into park. There wasn't another single car in sight and Regina could only imagine that Emma's parent's vehicles were most likely parked in some huge and lavish garage. Suddenly, knowing that everything she had grown up on had come from _blood money_ left her feeling uneasy.

"You have approximately two minutes to take a deep breath and tell me what's up before my parents come barreling out that front door. Well. Not barreling. More like, opening it politely and welcoming us in like they just saw us yesterday. But you get my point." Emma smiled at the brunette in the passenger seat who was staring at their joined hands in her lap. "Or we can talk about it later. As long as you promise me that you're okay."

Regina nodded, taking a deep breath. Looking up at her girlfriend she smiled. "I'm okay. It just kind of hit me all at once."

"If you start feeling overwhelmed, just tell me and we'll-"

"Emma. It's okay. I promise." Regina leaned across the console, cupping Emma's cheek with a free hand and gave her a reassuring kiss. When she pulled back, Emma's eyes were searching her own as if she still sensed a slight hesitation. "Admittedly, this is a big deal. After all, your parent's are well respected Doctors and mine are…well my family are apparently a bunch of drug lords and thieving scum. Which is not exactly going to make for good dinner conversation. But-"

"Hey." Emma stopped Regina from saying any more. "First of all, your family is not thieving scum. Second, you _just_ found out your parents are still alive and met them for the first time in sixteen years. You've been through hell these last couple of months. But that doesn't mean that you are _anything_ less than amazing. And my parents…they're going to love you. You and I. _We_ are a family now and that is all that matters."

Emma watched as Regina's eyes began to tear up and realized that while she had meant well, making her girlfriend cry right before they were about to meet her parents was pretty much a bad idea. Popping open the console, Emma pulled out a napkin and dabbed at Regina's eyes causing the brunette to laugh nervously. She took Emma's hand and stilled her actions, bringing the back of Emma's fingers to her lips. "I love you, Emma Swan."

Emma only smiled back in response, afraid to say anything more. "Are you ready?"

"Now or never, I guess." Regina laughed.

Emma got out of the car and made her way around to the passenger side. Opening the door, she offered her hand to the brunette as Regina stepped out of the low riding car. Emma closed the door behind her, not bothering to take anything out of the car just yet, intending to retrieve it all after they were all settled and introduced. Out of the corner of her eye, Emma saw a curtain move in the window next to the door. Taking a deep breath, she ran her hands down both of Regina's arms before stopping to grab both of her hands.

"We got this." She kissed Regina one last time before stepping back and letting go of one of her girlfriends hands.

"Emma?"

Regina turned quickly at the sound of the unfamiliar voice to find a woman with shoulder length dark brown hair making a beeline for where she was currently standing with Emma by her side.

"Emma. You made it." Emma's mother pulled her into a hug, holding on for much longer than Emma appeared to be comfortable with. She was still holding onto Regina's hand and used her free hand to gently pat her mother on the back. "You're never on time. Your father and I weren't expecting you for another hour or so."

When Emma's mother stepped back, she looked from Emma to Regina and back to Emma again, a confused smiled gracing her lips.

"Mom. I want you to meet someone." Emma spit the sentence out faster than Regina had ever heard her talk and she almost laughed at the blonde's sudden onset of panic. Emma gestured to her girlfriend and Regina smiled at the woman standing in front of them. "Mom, this is…Regina. Regina, this is…my mom. Mary Margret."

"It's so nice to finally meet you."

Regina smiled and held out her hand, which the other woman didn't hesitate to take. Before she could say anything else, Emma's mother was pulling her into a hug just like she had with her own daughter and squeezed Regina as if she had known her as long as she'd known her forever. When she finally pulled back, Mary Margret smiled sweetly at Regina and spoke.

"I wish I could say the same, Regina." Mary Margret looked at her daughter then. "But clearly my daughter has kept quite the secret. It _is_ however nice to meet you. I'm so glad Emma brought you with her."

Emma shuffled her feet uncomfortably until she couldn't take anymore. "Mom, where's dad? Is he home or did he have to go into work?"

"Oh." Mary Margret straightened her posture and glanced back toward the house. "Let's go inside. Your father was just setting the table for lunch."

Emma's mother turned and started walking back to the house. With a quick glance at her girlfriend, Emma shrugged as if to say "That's my mom." and gave Regina's hand a tug. Regina watched the older woman walking several steps ahead of them and took a deep breath. She reminded herself it was just overnight, but couldn't help wondering if it was going to be Emma who might not make it through the next day. When they stepped into the foyer Emma took Regina's coat and hung it up in the coat closet to the left of the entrance, along with her own.

"David! Emma's here." Mary Margret called from the entryway. Both women followed close behind as she continued to walk through the house. Regina could feel the anxiety rolling off of Emma in waves and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. Emma glanced at her girlfriend with something that resembled a smile. "David?"

As soon as they were about to turn a corner, a man who Regina recognized from the few photos she'd seen, almost ran right into Mary Margret. They both laughed and wrapped their arms around each other in a brief hug. Regina watched the interaction closely and saw David's eyes light up like a Christmas tree when they settled on his daughter standing just a mere few feet out of reach. "Emma!"

"Dad!" Emma exclaimed, mirroring her dad's excitement. She laughed when he pulled her into a hug, one hand resting lovingly on the back of her head. Pulling back, he kissed her on the forehead and gave her a once over. "Still the same, dad."

He shook his head, eyes narrowing as he continued to look at his daughter. "No. No, something's different."

Regina stood silently next to her girlfriend, watching the exchange with amusement. She could automatically tell that Emma's relationship with her father was quite different than the one she shared with her mother. Emma was clearly a daddy's girl. Regina stifled a smile when the realization dawned on her. She found it odd considering how little time she spent visiting the both of them, but decided to let it go. She was pulled out of her thoughts when she felt Emma reaching for her hand.

"Dad, this is…Regina." Emma took a deep breath, before speaking again. The scenario almost an exact repeat of the one they'd had with Emma's mother in the driveway. "Regina, my dad, David."

David immediately shifted his attention to the brunette standing next to his daughter. "Regina, huh?"

"Hi." Regina smiled, holding her hand out once again. "It's nice to meet you."

David ignored the offered hand and pulled Regina into a near death grip excuse for a hug and she suddenly realized why Emma had warned her about all the hugging just days before. But Regina didn't mind. She found that it was actually kind of nice, how welcoming Emma's parents seemed to be, given the fact that they didn't even know their daughter had been seeing anyone. Regina was suddenly curious what they would have to say when they found out that Emma's house was for sale and that their daughter had been living with Regina for the last few weeks. Considering the way things were going, if she was forced to guess, Regina quickly assumed that they would simply want what was best for their daughter's happiness.

"O-kay, dad." Emma finally interrupted the hug that seemed to last forever, but in reality had only been a mere few seconds. "If you don't mind, I'm going to…show Regina around the house. We can all…_talk_ later maybe?"

"Oh, sure. Sure." David nodded, patting Regina lightly on the arm before stepping back to pull his wife against his side. "I think that will be all right. Don't you, honey?"

"Of course, Emma." Mary Margret smiled at the two younger women and nodded. "I was just about to start cooking lunch and after all, you got here much earlier than we expected."

Emma smiled sheepishly and took a deep breath. "You only have Regina to thank for that."

"Then I most definitely will." Mary Margret nodded. "When we all have that talk- later."

**. . .**

Finally away from Emma's parents, she led Regina through several rooms in the house, giving her the grand tour. It wasn't that she cared so much about showing off her childhood home. She mostly just didn't want Regina getting lost in the near mansion sized home, should Emma happen to leave her alone at any given time. Regina was an adult. Emma knew it really didn't matter because you couldn't actually get lost in the house. But bringing someone into a place you were familiar with, showing them around was the polite thing to do. They'd spent several minutes wandering in and out of more rooms than Regina could count and she wondered how long it would take before Emma finally gave in and took her to the bedroom she had occupied as a kid. So instead of waiting for her girlfriend to get there, Regina decided to just ask.

"So…are you avoiding showing me _your_ room for a reason?" She teased the blonde leading her around the house by her hand. "I'm kind of curious to see what teenage Emma Swan's bedroom looks like!"

"We're getting there. I was saving it for last." Emma shook her head. "Impatient are we?"

"No." Regina shook her head, smiling at the other woman. "But I _was_ starting to wonder if you had something to hide."

Emma laughed at the brunette, knowing she was only giving her a bad time and came to a stop in front of another door that looked like all the others they'd seen and opened and walked through. Emma took a deep breath. "Well. You wanted to see it. So…this, Regina, is where we will be sleeping tonight!"

Emma turned the knob and gave the door a push. She took a small step back and allowed her girlfriend to walk into the room first. Emma leaned against the frame of the door and watched Regina explore the room. The floors throughout the house were solid hardwood, including the bedrooms. Emma's bed, a four post canopy with sheer scarves wound around the frame and down all four posts, past the silver and black bedding. Regina walked around the edge, running her hands over the material before approaching the dresser. It appeared to have some of Emma's things from her teenage years, left behind as if she had simply grown out of them. Regina's eyes settled on a long silver chain hanging from the corner of the mirror which had long since been touched. There was no evidence of dust though, which automatically left her with the impression that Emma's mother or _someone_ maintained the dusting and general tidiness of the house.

Lost in her thoughts as she was taking everything in, Regina's chest hitched as a surprised breath escaped her lips at the feel of Emma's arms snaking their way around her waist. Regina wrapped her arms around herself, holding Emma close. She let her head fall back on its own accord when Emma buried her face in the curve of Regina's neck and took a deep breath. Chills coursed through the brunette's body and caused her to physically shiver. Emma kissed and nibbled on the exposed flesh beneath her lips until Regina couldn't take it anymore and turned in her girlfriend's arms. Emma seized the moment and backed her into the dresser she'd just been perusing. Regina gasped and without hesitation pulled Emma into a kiss. Wrapping her arms around the blonde's neck, Emma pushed Regina harder against the dresser. The edge digging into her backside.

Their kissing was feverish. Emma didn't know if it was watching Regina silently appreciating her childhood bedroom or the simple fact that this gorgeous woman in her arms was all hers. Who loved and trusted Emma with her heart. The thought only served to spur Emma on. Her tongue pushing deep into Regina's mouth, encouraging Regina to fight back and give as good as she was getting. And in true Regina fashion, Emma was not disappointed. Regina broke free of the kiss and rubbing her cheek gently against the blondes, she nudged Emma's chin up and kissed a soft and very sensual trail of wet open mouthed kisses across the line of her jaw and down her neck until she reached that tender place at the base of Emma's neck. She gave the spot a gentle bite. It was all teeth and Emma's chest heaved, a small gasp of pleasure escaping her lips unexpectedly.

Without thinking about what she was doing, Emma's hands trailed down the taught and somewhat muscular back of her brunette girlfriend. Her hands landing on Regina's backside, Emma squeezed gently before effortlessly lifting Regina and sitting her down on top of the dresser.

"Emma!" Regina exclaimed, though her tone was hushed. "The door. We're in your parent's house. In the room you slept in as a kid. What if-"

"I locked it and you worry too much." Emma smiled against the brunette's lips before capturing them again to keep her from saying anything more. She felt Regina's legs snake their way around her waist and pull her in closer. Emma sucked Regina's bottom lip between her teeth and nibbled gently, sucking on it for a moment before letting it go. She pulled back, carefully taking in every last inch of the woman in front of her. Deciding against saying anything more, Emma's hands found their way around Regina's back, creeping under the back of her sweater until she felt bare flesh beneath her fingertips. Her lips kissing the brunette in every place visible to her eyes. Her hands slowly slid down Regina's back and slipped beneath the elastic band of the leggings she was wearing to grab two handfuls of firm round flesh.

Regina gasped at the contact, her head falling back to expose her bare throat to the blonde who was currently ravishing her. "Emma. Oh…I- Emma what are you doing?"

"You." Was her only response.

"Emma, we can't. We-"

"Watch me." Emma mumbled between biting the sensitive places just below her girlfriend's ear, making her squirm. Regina's head was still thrown back. Her eyes closed. When Emma realized this, she freed one hand and took Regina by the back of her neck and encouraged her to look the blonde in the eyes. "I mean it. Watch me. Do not take your eyes off of me"

Regina nodded. She was speechless and a nod was all she could manage as Emma returned to her previous ministrations. Both hands down the back of her pants Before Regina had the chance to give it any more thought, Emma swiftly pushed, grabbing the top of her leggings and slipped them out from under the brunette and pulled them down her legs until they hit the floor. Regina had to brace herself, both hands palm down on the dresser when Emma grabbed her by the back of the legs and pulled her to the edge. Instinctively, Regina wrapped her legs and then her arms around the blonde again, burying her hands in long blonde curls. This time it was Regina who initiated the kiss. The fact that they were in Emma's parent's home had long since left her thoughts. Now, all she could think about was Emma. Emma's mouth. Emma's hands. Emma's small but muscular biceps commanding Regina to do things she had never even thought of doing before.

Emma raked her nails down her girlfriend's back, causing Regina to arch into the blonde. Emma dragged the nails of her right hand down Regina's side, following the curve of her hip and down the top of her thigh all the way to her calf and foot wrapped around her waist. The return trip was much gentler, using the pads of her fingers to trace out senseless patterns on the brunette's leg until she was once again caressing the top of Regina's thigh. Never once did Emma take her eyes off the woman in her arms.

**. . .**

Mary Margret stood at the island in the kitchen, working on preparing a simple meal for lunch. She found herself looking up at her husband, watching as he diligently set the table for the four of them. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out, so she went back to what she was doing. A moment later, she was repeating her previous actions when David finally looked up from where he was placing the silverware next to the plates and smiled at his wife. He'd long since noticed that she clearly had something on her mind. But he was starting to realize that if he didn't ask her what it was, she might never get it out.

"What is it?" David asked, propping his self against the back of one of the chairs. Mary Margret shook her head and continued cutting a carrot. "I bet I can guess."

"I imagine so." She smiled to herself. "You know me well enough, David."

"You're not sure what to make of this woman our daughter has brought home with her." David spoke, but it wasn't a guess. More like a statement of fact. He had been just as surprised as his wife seemed to be when Emma had introduced him to the gorgeous brunette that had been standing by her side. "I don't know about you, but I have a really good feeling about her. She seemed quite nice enough and I don't know if you noticed or not, but I didn't see Emma let go of her hand. Not once. Not even when I hugged them both."

"That's what worries me." Mary Margret mumbled to herself and sighed heavily.

"Worries you?" David's brow furrowed in confusion and he moved to stand across the island from the petite brunette. "It's been _three years_ Mary Margret. If Emma is bringing someone home, it must be serious. She hasn't even spoken of seeing anyone since-"

"I know, David. I do." She shook her head again as if to clear her thoughts, all the while continuing to prepare the food. "That whole thing nearly killed her. We could have lost our daughter and frankly, if she's getting serious about someone, it terrifies me that she's going to get hurt again. I don't think I can watch her fall apart again, David. And not to mention, this is the first we've heard of her. Why hasn't Emma said anything?"

"Well." David took a seat on a bar stool and clasped his hands together on the counter. "There could be any number of reasons. I wouldn't say it's because it's new. Because I get the distinct feeling that they have known each other for quite some time. And you know, maybe Emma just wanted to see where things were going before talking to us about it. Maybe that's why she brought Regina with her."

"Maybe."

"You worry too much." David offered his wife a sympathetic smile. "When you're done with lunch, I'll hunt them down and we'll use the time to try to get to know her. She may be the best thing our daughter could have ever asked for. Or that we could have ever wanted for Emma."

**. . .**

"Emma." Regina gasped as she felt Emma's lips and teeth grazing her pulse point. She couldn't stop herself from rolling her hips toward the blonde, or tightening her legs around Emma's waist as she felt Emma's fingers slowly inching toward their destination. The spot where Regina suddenly needed her the most. Every last care had flown out the window when Emma had roughly removed her leggings and now all she could think about was having the blonde buried deep inside her. And if Emma didn't get there soon, Regina was about to help her find her way. She wasn't quite sure how much more teasing she could take, feeling Emma lazily tracing her soaked and swollen sex, coating her fingers in the evidence that Regina's body had quickly created, letting Emma know just how turned on the brunette really was. "Emma, I need you… You started this and I fully expect you to finish it before your parents come looking for-"

Regina found her speech completely interrupted by a loud gasp escaping her throat and a few muttered swear words rolling off her lips as Emma gave her exactly what she'd been waiting for. Emma waited until Regina least expected it and buried three fingers inside the brunette before slowly pulling them out, only to repeat the process. Regina's body immediately responded with rolling hips meeting every thrust of her girlfriend's hand. Emma's mouth was open, breathing heavily against the bare flesh of Regina's neck. She bit down on the sensitive spot she knew was there, causing Regina to move faster. Her arms no longer around the blonde, Regina was once again bracing herself. Fingers curled around the edge of the dresser for leverage. Emma pulled back, needing to see the other woman's face. After all, hadn't she told Regina to look at her?

Emma's green eyes met Regina's caramel brown and she refused to look away. She could tell that Regina wanted to throw her head back, but was doing her best to stay focused on the blonde in front of her. Regina was more wet than Emma had ever remembered and she found her fingers sliding easily into her girlfriend. A brief thought crossed her mind, but she didn't spend too much time on it. Instead, she pulled out and slowly added a fourth, filling her completely. Emma continued to move slowly until she felt Regina relax around the new intrusion. She waited patiently until the brunette began to encourage a harder thrust with her own hips.

"Emma." Regina said her name again. "Oh- god, Emma. You feel _so_ good."

Regina let go of the dresser and grabbed Emma by the back of the neck, pulling her in for a ferocious kiss. It was all heat. And passion. Tongues sliding over each other. Teeth pulling at lips. Emma caught Regina's tongue with her lips and sucked hard, pulling her girlfriend's tongue into her mouth and continued to suck on it until she heard the brunette groan. The sound was guttural. A near growl and Emma let go. Regina seized the opportunity and bit Emma's bottom lip hard enough that they both knew there was a possibility that she'd drawn blood. Neither seemed to care. Regina took a deep breath and on exhale, she felt Emma pull out of her and whimpered at the loss. But before she had time to miss the contact, Emma was on her knees, pulling Regina's legs over her shoulders an wrapping her arms around bare thighs.

Emma felt Regina run her fingers through her hair as she leaned in and ran her tongue through her girlfriends wet lips. The tip of her tongue just barely grazing Regina's swollen clit before she applied more pressure, burying her tongue inside the brunette. Emma sucked roughly on Regina's sex alternating between kissing and sucking, gentle and rough. Fast and slow. Biting her gently and pulling on the wet lips her face was pressed against. Emma knew that Regina was close. She could feel her girlfriends body slowly beginning to tense up and fought to still Regina's hips before she rocked herself off of the dresser and took them both to the floor. Regina was hanging on the edge of a very high cliff so Emma did the only thing she could think of that would push the woman over the edge. Sucking Regina's clit into her mouth once more, Emma pushed past her entrance with three fingers, curling them slightly until she hit the spot she knew would do the trick. Regina immediately braced herself again and her free hand flew up to her mouth as her entire body went rigid against the blonde kneeling before her.

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


	23. Chapter 23

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any piece of OUAT, in any way shape or fashion! Though I admit, playing with it's characters for my own personal amusement is rather fun! I gain nothing from writing this except the sheer satisfaction of seeing things play out as I see fit! Thanks go to the actual owners, creators and writers of the show for letting me play with them for a minute! I am beta/editor free, so any mistakes made are purely and coincidentally, my own! If anyone catches any mistakes or mishaps, please feel free to let me know! I can only benefit from an unbiased eye and constructive criticism! This is my first fic in probably 15 years, which also means this is my first fic for OUAT. Hopefully...it won't suck! lol**

**CHAPTER 23**

David raised his hand to knock just as the door to his daughter's bedroom swung open. Emma and Regina were laughing about something and David simply stood there with a smile on his face waiting to be noticed. Emma ran her thumb across her bottom lip as she turned away from her girlfriend to step into the hallway, nearly running into her father. David was quick to reach out and stop her, causing Regina to collide into her from behind.

"Dad. Hey." Emma smiled and laughed nervously like a teenager who'd just been caught sneaking a girl out of her room. She was suddenly thankful he hadn't shown up five minutes earlier.

"Your mom sent me up." He gave her shoulder a squeeze before stepping out of the way so the two young women could join him in the hall. "Apparently lunch is just about done and she wanted to give you plenty of time to come down and get settled."

Emma glanced back at Regina and realized that she wasn't the only one fighting back an awkward laugh. "Yeah. Uhm…that sounds good. We were just about to go down to the car and grab our bags. Then we'll be right there."

"Don't keep your mom waiting, Em." David gave her a knowing smile. "You know how she feels about cooking a meal, you know you better be there waiting when it's done." Looking past Emma, David caught Regina's attention. "I'd ask my daughter, Regina, but she'll just tell me no. Are you both okay getting your things? I don't mind helping."

"Thank you, David." Regina smiled sincerely before subconsciously taking Emma's hand. "It's just a few things. I believe we can get it."

"Well, all right then. I'll leave you ladies to it."

The pair parted ways from Emma's father as they reached the bottom of a winding staircase that deposited them right at the front door. The minute Emma pulled the front door closed behind them Regina backhanded Emma on the arm and walked faster toward the car.

"Really?" Emma whined, grabbing her arm and rushing to catch up with her girlfriend. "Are you planning to break into the car? I have the keys, you know?"

"Then maybe you should unlock it." Regina whirled around, giving Emma a look that suggested she do just that. "Unless you'd like to have sex on the hood of your car. In your parent's driveway. In broad daylight."

Emma immediately got a faraway look in her eyes as if she were considering the possibility before looking at the brunette standing with her hands on her hips, waiting for a response. Emma stepped into Regina's personal space, forcing her to back into the driver's side of the car. "I like the way you think!"

"Emma!" Regina laughed, unable to stop the smile creeping onto her face.

"I didn't hear a single complaint ten minutes ago when I was on my nffs mm zhe phr b-" The rest of the sentence was muffled and cut off when Regina's hand flew up to Emma's mouth and quickly stopped her from finishing what she knew the blonde was about to say. As soon as she moved her hand, Emma's mouth opened as if she were going to continue talking and Regina leaned in to kiss her. "Okay, okay… You win. No sex on the hood of the car."

"Yet." Regina quirked an eyebrow suggestively and turned to finish the task they'd come outside to complete, leaving Emma with her mouth hanging open and considering the implications of that one three letter word.

"Ladies." David's voice floated across the expanse of the driveway and both women turned to see Emma's father approaching the car.

"Dad, really, we can get everything. It's just a couple of bags."

"Well, you know your mother, Emma." David laughed to his self. "The minute I came back to the kitchen empty handed and she found out I let you come out here to fend for yourself, I received marching orders."

Emma nodded knowingly and Regina just smiled at the easy dynamic between the two. They didn't know it yet, but if Regina had anything to do with it, Emma's parents were going to start seeing more of their daughter than just on pertinent holidays. Her newfound family issues weren't going to stop her from helping Emma's parents regain a semi normal relationship with their daughter. Especially with Emma's shift in duties at work. They were both going to be finding their selves with a little bit more free time in the near future.

"Since you're here, I suppose we can't let you return empty handed." Regina smiled, leaning into the backend of the car and coming back out with two homemade desserts. One a delicious looking cherry cheesecake and the other a simple chocolate pie, which Regina had discovered, when deciding what they were going to bring, to be one of Emma's favorites. "You can take these. We only have a couple of bags. I think we can handle those."

Emma stood to the side, hands in her back pockets, watching the exchange between her father and her girlfriend. The ease with which they were interacting had slightly thrown Emma off. But deep down, she was smiling at the prospect of just how well their two days were going to go. "Uh, yeah, Dad. We'll grab our bags and be right there. I won't make the mistake of making mom wait. Ever again."

David laughed knowingly and turned to head back towards the house. Emma turned back to the vehicle and began pulling out bags. Starting with her backpack which she had tossed over her shoulders like a high-schooler before grabbing the rest of their bags, save Regina's pillow which, considering Emma's full and struggling hands, just wasn't going to happen. "Emma. You do realize I have two hands?"

Emma smirked but bit back the suggestive comments that came to mind. The look on Regina's face told her that she knew Emma was probably biting back some kind of 'That's what she said' joke. But instead, Emma just smiled politely and said, "I got this. No worries. You…get the trunk shut and locked and then the front door and we'll be good."

**. . .**

With their few things deposited quickly in the bedroom, the two women were walking into the dining room as Emma's mother was sitting the last dish on the table. Emma was suddenly nervous as hell and had no idea how their lunch was about to go. But knowing her parents, Regina was about to be subject to some sort of inquisition. And true to Mary Margret fashion, they had no longer began lifting utensils to their mouths when Emma's mother spoke up and started firing her not quite too subtle questions.

"So, Regina." She smiled brightly, as if it would soften the blow and keep Emma from cringing. "Since my daughter saw fit to keep you a secret, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself?"

Regina didn't miss a beat and flashed a genuine smile. _So this is what it's like to have a mother that cares?_ "What would you like to know? I'd be happy to answer any questions you have."

Emma reached for her girlfriends leg under the table and gave her leg a gentle squeeze. Clearly Regina wasn't concerned about the impending interrogation. Then again, if Emma was truthful, neither was she. Her parents were going to love Regina. She was, after all, a very well rounded adult, entirely capable of taking care of herself and maybe once they both saw how happy Emma was, they would simply let the whole thing go and just enjoy their short visit.

"Well…" Mary Margret gave the question some thought. Emma glanced at her father who continued to eat his lunch, content to sit back and see where things went. For some reason, Emma had a feeling David would find a way to speak to Regina privately. Fortunately Emma wasn't as concerned with her father's potential "What are your intentions with my daughter?" line of questioning.

"What do you do for a living?"

_Right out the gate._ Regina thought to herself. "I actually don't have a conventional job per say. I'm actually an artist. I…paint."

"Oh. That's nice." Mary Margret smiled as if she didn't understand how that could possibly be considered a job. But before she could say anything else, Emma butted into the conversation.

"Regina's actually quite an accomplished artist, mom." Emma took a bite of her salad and before she could finish chewing, continued to talk, much to Regina's amusement, but not so much to her mothers. The look on Mary Margret's face said as much. "Actually, about two months ago, right before my accident, Ruby brought Regina into the gallery and held a show to introduce her work into the art world."

"Oh that's nice." Mary Margret repeated. She seemed as if she was about to say something else when the realization of what Emma had said, hit her. She sat her fork down and dabbed at her mouth with the linen napkin that had been lying in her lap. When the silence continued, Emma looked up to find her mother staring at her in shock, her father paused as if he'd been frozen with a forkful of food halfway to his mouth. Confused, Emma looked over at her girlfriend only to find Regina worrying the charm hanging around her neck. Regina was clearly avoiding looking at _all_ of them.

"What?" Emma sat back and tossed her napkin onto the table. Regina glanced at Emma, clearly surprised that she had no idea she'd just told her parents she'd been in an accident. "What did I say now?"

"_Right before your 'accident'?_" Mary Margret shook her head. "I'm sorry. I could have sworn I just heard you say you had an accident and then continued to speak as if your father or I wouldn't notice or care. Exactly what kind of 'accident' did you have?"

David sat his fork down, waiting to see where this was going. Always the rational of the two, he could clearly see that his daughter was alive and in one piece so he knew that whatever had happened, couldn't possibly have been all that bad. He watched all three women, waiting for someone to say something. Finally realizing that Emma's stubborn side had kicked in full force, Regina squeezed her hand under the table while still playing with the necklace lying against her chest.

"Emma was on her motorcycle on the way to Neal's house and a car pulled out in front of her and stopped." Regina's tone was subdued, remembering clearly the aftermath of the incident. She looked up to meet Mary Margret's gaze and continued. "She went over the car and landed on another. I wasn't there, but Neal said it wasn't quite as bad as it sounds."

Emma glanced at her girlfriend, knowing that she had just outright lied to her mother and something about the tiny little lie made Emma smile to herself. Regina was sparing Mary Margret from the gory details because it was all said and done and Emma was alive and fine.

"Not as bad as it sounds?" Mary Margret was clearly upset but if Regina was completely honest with herself the woman was beginning to sound like a parrot. "My daughter, per your words, flew off of a motorcycle, over another vehicle and landed on a completely _different_ vehicle. By my standards…a _mother's_ standards, forgive me for saying so but that doesn't sound like 'nothing' to me. Emma?"

Emma's eyes were immediately on Regina. She'd felt her girlfriend squeeze her hand when Mary Margret had made the mother comment. Regina nonchalantly placed her napkin on the table next to her near empty plate and pushed her chair back away from the table. Her eyes remained averted, refusing to look even at the blonde by her side. She was suddenly feeling sick and a little bit out of place. She knew that Emma's mother was only concerned for her daughters safety, but the rational part of her brain was refusing to function at the moment. "If you'll excuse me for a moment."

Emma watched helplessly as Regina stepped away from the table and walked out of the room. The minute she was out of sight, Emma was out of her own chair and leaning across the table.

"Seriously?" Emma looked at her mother like she had two heads. "I'm _right_ here mom. I'm in one whole piece! You couldn't just _ask me_ what happened?"

Emma threw her napkin onto her plate and moved to step away from the table. David was out of his chair just as fast. "Emma?"

"What, dad? What?"

"If I may… I'd like to go speak with Regina. If that's okay with you?" David knew that if he left the room it would force Emma to deal with her mother who for some reason she hadn't always quite seen eye to eye with. And if he went to find Regina, it might give him the opportunity to find out exactly what had upset the young woman. He decided before she could respond, not to give her a choice and walked out of the room in search of the brunette.

Emma looked back at her mother and without saying a word she gathered her plate along with Regina's and both of their glasses, carrying them to the kitchen. She stood over the sink rinsing the dishes off and shoving them none too gently into the dishwasher. As she turned to place the last glass on the rack, Emma's mother grabbed her hand and took the glass. She placed it in the dishwasher and closed the door, leaving her own handful of dishes on the counter to deal with later. Mary Margret turned around and leaned back against the cabinets and looked over at her daughter who was staring out the window above the sink. She didn't know if Emma was simply ignoring her or if there was something in particular that had caught her interest in the back yard.

"I'm sorry, Emma. Truly I am." She shook her head and sighed. "You're my only child and the idea of losing you or seeing you hurt again, for _any_ reason, it scares me."

Emma remained silent. Her eyes on Regina who she had seen walking out towards the old tree swing in the far corner of the yard. It didn't take long for David to find her girlfriend. The house was big, but the grounds were not and there were only so many places she could have gone. She watched as her father approached the brunette and took a seat at the base of the tree just a few feet away from her.

"Emma, please say something." Emma's mother was pleading with her. She knew Mary Margret felt bad about what had transpired. But what Emma was more upset about was the fact that her mother had no idea why or how she had upset her girlfriend.

"That woman out there…" Emma paused, exhaling heavily. "For three years mom, ever since Amanda I've just been…lost. And Regina came into my life and suddenly…I'm alive again. And happy. She makes me see a future that I thought was gone forever. She wants _everything_ with me. She was there for me when I had my accident, even though I had lied to her and kept things from her and pushed her away. I did it because of my job. But she just came back anyway and refused to leave."

Mary Margret stood silently next to her daughter, listening intently. She was afraid that if she said anything that Emma would clam up and the moment would be lost.

"There's _so_ much you don't know. And it all has to do with my job. But she loves me, mom." Emma's voice cracked and her mother could see the tears beginning to form in her eyes. "And then I almost lost her again and we've been through so much but she still keeps fighting for me and I have no idea why. _She_ has been through so much. She lost her parents. Then found out they'd been alive all this time and there's just so much you don't know. But I look at her and I- her eyes, mom. I just…she's mine and she's always been mine. It just took me too long to find her."

Mary Margret swallowed the lump forming in her throat.

"Emma. Can I…ask you a question?"

**. . .**

When he walked out of the dining room, David had heard the front door open and close. Assuming Regina was going out for air he followed behind but didn't get in a hurry. David was a smart enough man. He knew if a woman walked out of a room it was because she was searching for space. But in this particular case, he felt as if there might be room for conversation, as long as he approached her right. There weren't very many places on the property for her to go, so David took a walk around the house, rounding the corner in time to see Regina taking a seat on Emma's childhood swing. There was no rush, so he gave her a moment, simply observing her body language to make sure it would be okay for him to reach out to his daughter's girlfriend. Deciding that any reaction would be worth the chat, David walked up beside the brunette and took a seat on the ground, leaning back against the large tree the swing had been hanging from since Emma was only five. He stretched his legs out, crossing them at his ankles and waited until she was ready. Fortunately, with Regina, talking was one of the few things she rarely held back on.

"I guess it wasn't very hard to find me, huh?" Regina was looking down at her feet, her hands gripping the ropes holding the seat she was sitting on.

"Were you trying to hide?" David smiled and Regina looked up in time to see him clasp his hands in his lap ever so patiently.

"No." Regina conceded. "I just…needed some air."

"Believe it or not, I can understand that. I hung this swing when Emma was a little girl and even though I'm not here as much as I'd like to be, sometimes I just like to come out here and sit. It makes me feel closer to her." David had a sad smile on his face and Regina knew for sure that she would make an effort to encourage Emma to spend more time with her parents. "She's been through so much."

"Is this the part where you give me the _'What are your intentions with my daughter?'_ speech?" Regina smiled down at the man, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. "If it is, I'll just tell you now; Emma is stubborn as hell, but there's something about her that fills this- this void that I didn't even know was missing until she came into my life. She pursued me, but then held back at every twist and turn until I was the one pursuing her. We've hit a lot of bumps in the few months that we've known each other but…from the moment we met, I just knew we were connected somehow and no matter what, nothing would come between us."

David nodded in understanding as he listened to this woman speaking so highly of his daughter. It was very clear that she cared for Emma and oddly enough, David had no doubts that his daughter's heart was safe.

"When Emma loves, she loves hard." David told her though he had a feeling that the information was nothing new to the brunette. "So…what are your intentions when my daughter?"

Regina laughed then, a hearty laugh that warmed David's soul. This woman was special and he hoped beyond hoping that this time everything would work out and he would see his daughter happy for good.

"Well, there are a lot of things you don't know about, I'm sure. Things that probably only Emma should tell you about. But for several reasons she put her house up for sale and is living with me until we find a place of our own. As far as we can tell, there are a couple of interested buyers so we're hopeful the house will sell in the next couple of weeks." Regina turned the swing so that she could face the man sitting on the ground next to her. "We haven't actively been looking but we came to a mutual agreement that we would wait until the house sold. I promise all I want is to see her happy. To be happy with her and be the one who always makes her smile. Emma deserves nothing less than…everything."

David took it all in and processed the thought with ease. "Can you tell me about the accident?"

Regina felt a little hesitant, but she knew that if she had a child, she would want to know what her child had been through. David and Mary Margret may not have been perfect parents, but if ever such a thing existed, Regina had yet to witness it. "It really was pretty cut and dry. We don't know who caused it. Only that someone intentionally pulled out and stopped in front of her. Her motorcycle is demolished."

David cringed. "She was pretty attached to that thing. I'm guessing she didn't take the news well?"

"Not so much, no." Regina laughed, looking down at the ground once again. "I was thinking of getting her a new one. I know she won't be able to ride again until it warms up, but at least it will be there waiting for her when the weather is right. Neal offered to pick it up and keep it until Christmas."

"That's awfully thoughtful, Regina." David stood, dusting his pants off before offering an arm to the woman he was quickly starting to like. "I'm sure it will be a gift well received."

Regina stood and took the offered arm as they began a slow walk back towards the house.

"I apologize for leaving the table so abruptly. There have been some recent revelations with my own parents and the whole thing just kind of hit me hard."

"Think nothing of it, Regina." David patted her hand gently before giving it a reassuring squeeze.

**. . .**

Emma turned away from the window and waited expectantly for what her mother was about to say. And knowing her mother, there was no telling what was about to come out of her mouth. "Yeah. Sure."

"I noticed Regina was wearing a uh, a necklace."

"Observant." Emma smarted off to her mother before she could stop herself. When she saw the hurt look cross the woman's face, she quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, mom. What about the necklace?"

"It's very nice. Where did she get it?"

"I don't know." Emma shrugged. "She said she got it a long time ago. The first time I saw it, it was hanging in her bedroom window, catching the sun. She only wore it today because I told her it would complement her outfit."

"So you've never seen it before?" Mary Margret seemed uneasy and Emma could feel the tension rolling off her mother in waves.

"When I first saw it, I told Regina it seemed familiar, but no." Emma shrugged. "It's just a necklace mom, what's the big deal?"

Mary Margret swallowed the thick lump in her throat and covered her mouth with her hands.

"Mom?" Emma was growing frustrated.

"Emma…that necklace is one of a kind." Emma's mother told her. Emma was thoroughly confused. How in the hell would her mother know anything about some random necklace her girlfriend owned? "I know, because your father and I had that necklace made for you for your sixth birthday. We told you it was 'Wish Dust' and that no matter where you were, as long as you had that 'Wish Dust', you could always do anything you wanted to, as long as you wished hard enough. One day when you were 13, Nan had brought you to the hospital to have dinner with me and until that day, I'd never seen you without that necklace."

Emma was suddenly feeling nauseas. Was her mom really saying what she thought she was saying? Emma had told Regina that day at the house that she'd had something similar when she was a kid. Was it really possible?

"Emma." Mary Margret took one of Emma's hands in her own. "When I asked you where it was, you cried and told me you'd lost it. Did you…did you really lose it?"

"Mom, I-" Emma shook her head. How could she have forgotten something that in this moment seemed so extremely important? "I didn't lose it. I- we were walking past a waiting room and there was a girl about my age and I remember now…Why didn't I remember this until now?"

Mary Margret's eyes were overflowing with tears.

"I remember she was crying and alone and there were these men standing on the other side of the room. And nan was talking to you and I wondered off. I remember taking the necklace off and giving it to the girl. I told her exactly what you told me. That I didn't know why she was crying but that the 'Wish Dust' would make it all better."

Emma and Mary Margret both turned when they heard a gasp from the doorway. Regina was standing there with Emma's father. One arm still tucked in his as if they'd simply been out for a stroll. Emma, without thinking, stepped away from her mother making a beeline for her girlfriend. Regina did the same, pulling away from David to meet the blonde halfway. They stopped with mere inches between them. Emma reached up, taking the small charm in her hand inspecting it before looking up to meet Regina's eyes with her own. "Regina?"

"I had no idea, Emma." Regina's voice cracked and her eyes were full of tears. "It was you. All this time, I've been holding on to _you_?"

Suddenly not caring that both her parents were watching, Emma took Regina's face between her hands and kissed her as if they were alone. As if Regina could slip away at any given moment. Emma knew the universe worked in mysterious ways, but of all the crazy things that had happened in her life, finding out she really had met the woman in her arms before, was definitely number one on the list.

**Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated, whether you leave a review or send me a private message! Positive or negative feedback can only serve to make me a better writer! Thanks for taking the time to read this story! I certainly hope you've enjoyed it so far!**


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